Tips For Successfully Baking A Better Holiday Fruitcake

Tis the season for fruitcakes and if you’d like to try your hand at tackling a homemade one yourself (or troubleshoot any problems you may be experiencing), here are a few tips and recipes (for White, Dark and Light varieties) that I’ve collected to help achieve the best results possible.

I also added a glaze recipe and if you’re looking for something that focuses on mincemeat, there’s an option for that too. Enjoy!

• Completely dust the fruit and nuts with flour so they don’t fall to the bottom of the batter while baking. Shake off excess before incorporating into the recipe.
• Oven temperature should be low enough to cook the batter fully without drying out the cake (250°F).
• First line the pans with several layers of brown paper (parchment paper works too), this insulates the batter against excess drying.
• Pans should only be filled 2/3 full of batter, not full.
• Once done and removed from the oven, the cake should be thoroughly cooled on a rack then removed from pan and wrapped in aluminum foil. Store in a box. Cake may be wrapped in several thicknesses of cheesecloth. Brandy or fruit juice may be poured on the cloth occasionally.
• Prepare them at least 3 weeks before eating, this allows time for flavors to develop and ripen.
• Don’t freeze a freshly made one right away. Let it age at least 3 to 4 weeks first so it has a chance to build its flavor (ripen).
• Use the best spices, nuts and dried fruits you can afford. Spices should be fresh.

I found the above information in an old community cookbook. If you’re always on the lookout for cake baking tips, you won’t want to miss this big compilation.

Old-Fashioned Recipes Collection

There are so many different ways to make a fruitcake! I’ve pulled a few different recipes from some old vintage cookbooks to give you an idea what an authentic, old-fashioned version entails…you might just find a new favorite in the bunch!

Quick Note: The “Light” version below refers to the color, it’s not a slimmed down version. There was no such thing back in the day, lol.

Abbreviations:

C=cup
TBS = Tablespoon
tsp = teaspoon
lb = pound

White Version

Ingredients

1 C butter
1 1/4 C sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 C plus 2 TBS flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 C seedless raisins
1 pkg (8oz) mixed fruit
1/2 C red cherries
1/2 C green cherries
1/2 C nuts
1 lemon (juice and rind)
1 orange (juice and rind)

Directions:

• Prepare fruit and pour over the juices and let stand overnight.
• Cream butter and sugar till foamy. Incorporate eggs one at a time, beating well between each.
• Add flour sifted with salt and baking powder, alternating with fruit.
• Bake in slow oven (275°F) for 3 1/2 hours.

Tip: Place a small pan of water in the oven to help keep cake moist.

Yield: (1) 9″x9″ cake

Dark Version

Prepare Mix:

• 1 lb currants
• 3 lbs raisins
• 1/2 lb dates
• 2 lbs mixed glace fruit
• 1 6oz bottle red maraschino cherries, drained
• 1 6oz bottle green maraschino cherries, drained
• 2 C blanched almonds, slivered
• 1 C walnuts

Dredge the above with 1 C sifted flour.

Cream together well (Creamed Mixture): 1 lb butter, 1 1/2 C white sugar, 1 C brown sugar

Blend in and beat thoroughly:

• 1 TBS lemon flavoring
• 1 TBS vanilla
• 1 TBS almond flavoring
• 1/2 C thick, sour cream

Beat well and add to creamed mixture: 10 eggs

Sift together (Flour Mixture):

• 4 C flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves

Combine the flour mixture with the creamed mixture.

Then add 1/2 cup thick strawberry jam and juice from bottle of red maraschino cherries.

Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and combine thoroughly.

• Line pans as instructed in the Light version (recipe below).
• This will make a 3 tiered product.
• Fill pans about 2/3 full.
• Bake at 250°F

Master List of Ingredients:

1 lb currants (about 3 C)
1/2 lb dates
3 lbs raisins (about 9 C)
2 lbs mixed glace fruit (about 6 C)
1 6oz bottle red maraschino cherries, drained
1 6oz bottle green maraschino cherries, drained
2 C blanched almonds, slivered
1 C walnuts
1 C sifted flour
1 lb butter
1 1/2 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 TBS lemon flavoring
1 TBS vanilla
1 TBS almond flavoring
1/2 C thick, sour cream
10 eggs
4 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 C thick strawberry jam
juice from bottle of maraschino cherries

Light Version

• First cream 1 1/2 cup of butter.
• Then gradually blend in 1 1/2 cup sugar.
• Add one at a time, beating well after each addition: 6 medium size eggs.
• Add 1 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp lemon extract and beat well.
• Sift together three times: 3 1/2 C sifted flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt. Use about 1/2 C of the mixture to flour the fruit and nuts as prepared below:

1 C glace or well drained maraschino cherries, halved
2 C seedless raisins
3/4 C both lemon and orange peel, finely cut
2 rings candied pineapple, diced
1 C blanched, shredded almonds

Continuing on with the recipe:

• Add to butter & egg mixture the remaining sifted dry ingredients and 3 TBS cream.
• Fold in the fruits and nuts
• Now line your tins* with three thicknesses of brown paper on the bottom and two on the sides.
• Grease the paper next to the batter.
• Fill the pans about 2/3 full. Build the batter well up to the sides and corners of the tin, making a slight hollow in the center.
• Bake at 250°F until done (small and medium size pans will take 2 to 3 1/2 hours, large size pan takes 4 to 4 1/2 hours).
• Cake should be firm and should no longer sizzle when pressed lightly.
• Cool on rack until thoroughly cold.

Tin Sizes:

Large – 8x8x3-1/2″
Medium – 6x6x3-1/2″

Master List of Ingredients:

1 1/2 C of butter
1 1/2 C sugar
6 eggs, medium size
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
3 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C glace or well drained maraschino cherries, halved
2 C seedless raisins
3/4 C both lemon and orange peel, finely cut
2 rings candied pineapple, diced
1 C blanched, shredded almonds
3 TBS cream

Mincemeat Version

This makes a quick and economical cake.

1. Cream together 1/2 C shortening and 1 C sugar.
2. Add and beat until smooth and creamy: 2 eggs, well beaten.
3. Sift together: 2 C sifted flour, 2 TBS cocoa, 3 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt.
4. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with 1/2 C water, sherry or grape juice (real grape juice, not the purple powdered stuff).
5. Beat the above until everything’s thoroughly blended.
6. Then add 1 C mincemeat (first drained dry), 1/2 C nuts, finely chopped.
7. Pour into a greased pan 8x8x2 inches. Bake at 300°F. approximately 1 1/4 hours.

Master Ingredient List:

1/2 C shortening
1 C sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
2 C sifted flour
2 TBS cocoa
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C water, sherry or grape juice
1 C mincemeat, drained dry
1/2 C nuts, finely chopped

Glaze Recipe

Combine and bring just to rolling boil:

• 1/2 C light corn syrup
• 1/4 C water

Remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm.

Pour over cold cake before or after storing.

Decorate with candied fruits.