Brandied Fruit Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Brandied Fruit Starter should last indefinitely if handled properly. Use clean equipment and keep it covered. Combine all ingredients in a clean, nonmetal bowl; stir gently. Cover and let stand at room temperature 3 weeks, stirring fruit twice a week. Serve fruit over ice cream or pound cake when desired, reserving at least 1 cup starter at all times. To replenish starter: Add 1 cup sugar and one of the fruits (pineapple chunks, peaches, apricot halves or maraschino cherries) every 1 to 3 weeks, alternating fruits each time; stir gently. Cover and let stand at room temperature 3 days before using again. When you have 6 cups you can divide the fruit and start a second glass container or give 3 cups away or make the Friendship Cake. *Apricot or peach brandy may be substituted, if desired. FRIENDSHIP CAKE MIX: Combine in a gallon glass jar 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups brandied fruit Starter and 1 (32-ounce) can sliced peaches with juice; stir all together; stir several times the first day and thereafter, stir once each day. Keep covered and at room temperature. On Tenth Day add: 1 (32-ounce) can chunk pineapple with juice 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar Stir once a day for 10 days. On Twentieth Day add: 1 (32-ounce) can fruit cocktail with juice 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries with juice, diced Stir once a day for 10 days. On Thirtieth day: Drain liquid from fruit. Divide the juice into 1 1/2 cups each. Place in jars with tight lids and give to a friend with a copy of recipe as soon as possible. Divide fruit into thirds. Makes 3 cakes. Cakes can be frozen after they are baked. Juice or fruit cannot be frozen. Friendship Cake Mix Recipe: Combine all ingredients together, mixing well. Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes before removing. Cool completely on wire rack.

Steps:

• TO START: Combine all ingredients in a clean, large glass jar.
• Stir gently with wooden spoon.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature for three weeks, stirring at least twice a week.
• Fruit is fermented when it is translucent.
• CARE AND FEEDING: Stir mixture daily.
• Every two weeks add one cup sugar and one cup of fruit and stir gently. Alternate fruits each time.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature at least three days before using.
• Do not add fruit more often than once every two weeks.
• Do not delay adding fruit for more than one or two days past schedule.
• IMPORTANT: To keep the starter going, retain at least three cups at all times.
• SHARING: Whenever you have more than six cups of fermented fruit, you may divide it into two portions, being sure there are at least three cups in each portion.
• Do this just before you would do a normal feeding.
• Feed each portion.
• Give one portion to a friend (with Care and Feeding directions) and keep one for yourself.
• Search on "friendship fruit" to find recipes that use this.
• There is also a Friendship Sourdough Starter (Recipe #647936) - yum!

Steps:

• 1. 2 days to 1 week before baking fruitcake: Place the cherries, pineapple, dates and orange and lemon peel in a large refrigerator container with a tight fitting lid. Pour the brandy over all and mix well. Store in refrigerator for 2 days to 1 week, stirring mixture at least once a day.
• 2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Generously coat a 12 cup Bundt pan (or mold, or your own combination of baking pans.... mini bundt, loaf pans, etc.) with cooking spray. Baking time will vary depending on size of pans used. This recipe makes approximately 11 cups of batter. Set prepared baking pans aside.
• 3. Add walnuts to fruit mixture and mix well. Set aside.
• 4. In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter with sugar. Add eggs , one at a time, beating well after each.
• 5. Sift the flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add to creamed mixture alternately with the preserves.
• 6. Fold fruit mixture into the batter and mix until well combined. Turn batter into prepared baking pan(s). Batter should come to within 1/2" - 1" from top of pan.
• 7. Bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours (for single cake) or until cake tests done when a toothpick is inserted near center. Let cool 20 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Cool completely. Pictured: individual mini-bundt cakes - baked for 1 hour 5 minutes
• 8. Make glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup and brandy and cook for about 3 minutes. Mix well. Brush a light coating over each cake. Arrange reserved cherries and pineapple on top to decorate. Brush with remaining glaze.
• 9. Wrap in waxed paper and then place in a plastic bag. Store in refrigerator. When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
• 10. PLEASE NOTE: Baking time for different size baking pans: regular size loaf pan: 1 hour 40 minutes, mini-loaf pan or mini-bundt pans: 1 hour 5 minutes These times may vary Just keep checking for doneness with a toothpick after suggested times.

Steps:

• 1. 1/2 of the fruit from the brandied fruit starter 2 pkg. golden butter cake mixes 2 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix 8 eggs 1-1/3 c. oil 2 c. raisins 2 c. walnuts 2 c. pecans 2 c. coconut
• 2. Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease and flour your pans. Into a large bowl put 1 box cake mix, 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix, 4 eggs, 2/3 cup oil and the drained fruit from your brandied fruit starter. Mix with a spoon only until well mixed. Then stir in 1 cup each of raisins, walnuts, pecans and coconut. Pour into prepared pans. Bake until straw inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 2 tube pans or 12 small one pound loaves or 4 loaves, 9-1/2 x 5-1/2 x 3-inch. Bake one tube pan at a time for approximately 60-90 minutes. Bake large loaves for 60-90 minutes or until a straw inserted in center comes out clean.

Steps:

• The night before you cook this place all the fruit fruit peel and nuts into a bowl and soak for 12 hours in the brandy and orange juice; Stir every time you go into the kitchen!
• pre-heat oven to 275ºF/140ºC.
• Grease and line with greaseproof paper an 8 inch/20cm round cake tin.
• Sift the flour salt and spices into a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixtures fluffy.
• Beat the eggs and add them a little at a time.
• Fold in the flour and spices.
• Stir in the fruit that has been soaking along with any excess liquid.
• Mix in the treacle.
• Spoon into the cake tin and spread out evenly.
• Cover the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with a small hole in the top.
• Bake the cake on the lower shelf for 4& 1/4- 3/4 hours.
• When the cake is cold wrap in double greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.
• Feed the cake every two days for the first 2 weeks with a spoonful of brandy and/or orange juice and/or glacè cherry syrup.
• First poke little holes in the cake with a knitting needle or a skewer.
• Come Christmas you will have a very very rich fruit cake.
• Use royal icing to ice it or almond paste and royal icing, I don't like almond paste!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Grease and flour a tube pan.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, soda, spices, eggs, lemon rind, vanilla, 1/2 cup brandy, fruit, nuts, and melted butter or margarine. Mix thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
• Wrap cooled cake in foil. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons brandy over the cake everyday for 2 weeks.