The Gift of a Fruitcake

I started this blog several years ago, as a way to share recipes with friends and family. A modern day recipe box.  I was so happy to receive a real recipe card from my Aunt Jane, when I asked for her fruitcake recipe.  This, to me, is a gift.  If you have never had a real fruitcake, they can be heavenly. This recipe makes more of a nut cake, with some fruit mixed in.

Maddie, who calls my aunt, Aunt Grandma, decided we had to make it right away. So, of course we did.

Before you start on this venture, a few disclosures.  This is not an inexpensive recipe.  The ingredients for 8 small cakes was about $50. You really need to make it around Christmastime, because it isn't as easy to find the candied fruit other times of the year, and finally, the cakes need to "cure" for two weeks.  If you're still up to the challenge, read on!

Christmas Fruitcake (make at least 2 weeks in advance)

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 lb candied pineapple cut into chunks (in my case, this was equal to 2 containers)
1 lb red candied cherries, halved (I used 1/2 red and 1/2 green, and this was equal to 1 container of each)
1 1/2 lbs pitted dates, halved (this was equal to 3 bags of whole dates - don't get chopped dates)

4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar

8 cups (2 lbs) pecans

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Grease 2-9" tube pans, or 6-8 mini loaf pans (I used 8). Line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a very large bowl. Mix dates, pineapple and cherries (in another bowl).

Here is Maddie tasting a plain candied cherry. She clearly doesn't like it. 

Add (fruit) to flour mixture until fruit is well coated (in flour).

Beat eggs and sugar until frothy.  Add to fruit mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.  Add nuts and continue mixing. Divide mixture into pans.  Press down firmly to fill all spaces.

Bake at 275 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  (I move the cakes at 30 minutes and at 1hour to make sure they are evenly cooked and not only one cake hits the "hot spot").

Remove and cool 5 minutes on racks.  Remove cakes from pans. Brush with corn syrup ( I added Bourbon to a cake or two - hehe!)  seal in foil.  In one week, brush again with corn syrup.  And in 2weeks, start the giving!   I will post pictures in 2 weeks!

And, finally, I have to share my favorite Aunt and Christmas picture.  I call this one "creepy Santa". I think Santa was a little too happy to have a cute 13 year old on his lap. 

Salty and Sweet balls

Someone brought something similar to work over Christmas.  They were delicious - a little bit like a grown-up rice krispy treat, and has a similar taste to a 100 Grand bar (hmmm... wonder how these would taste dipped in chocolate...).  Anyway, they are good, and it is easy to keep stuff in the pantry to whip these up in a jif. 

An added bonus, you will have "balls" jokes all night long. 

1 stick of unsalted butter (yes it should be unsalted AND it has to be butter)
1 8 oz. box of chopped dates (I find these at Wal-Mart, but you could probably find them at most supermarkets)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 small bag of chopped pecans (I have no idea how many ounces - the small bag) and chop them a bit finer.
2 cups (or more - to taste) of rice krispies - I like more rather than less - you just have to be able to bind them.
Sea salt, about 1 teaspoon (yes, sea salt, not table salt)
Powdered sugar

In a saucepan, melt together the butter, the dates, and the sugar.  It will all melt together and form a paste.  Add the salt.  Quickly fold in the pecans and rice krispies.  The mixture will be hot, so wait a few minutes.  Then form the mixture into balls (they will feel a little oily from the butter), and roll in powdered sugar.  Or, if you're daring, try dipping them in chocolate.  I know that I will be trying that soon.