Cherry Almond Fruitcake Recipes

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter nonstick angel food cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Toss first 4 ingredients with 1/2 cup flour in large bowl to coat.
• Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in another large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in rum, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in dried fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pan, flattening to eliminate air pockets. Bake until tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean and cake is deep golden brown, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes.
• For syrup:
• Whisk rum and maple syrup in bowl. Spoon half over warm cake in pan. Let stand until absorbed. Cut around cake to loosen; invert onto platter. Peel off paper. Spoon remaining syrup over cake. Let stand about 4 hours. (Can be made ahead. Cover and store at room temperature 1 day or chill up to 1 week.)

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, currants, apricots, figs, prunes, dates, walnuts, pecans, orange zest, lemon zest, candied ginger, pumpkin pie spice and cloves in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add 1 cup of the brandy, orange liqueur and molasses and stir to coat. Cover and set aside to macerate overnight. (Alternatively, cover the bowl and microwave 2 minutes, or until very hot. Leave covered and let sit until almost all the liquid has been absorbed into the fruit and nuts, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and line each with 2 pieces of parchment, one lengthwise and one crosswise, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the soaked fruit mixture and toss to coat. Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium-low and beat in the flour mixture until the batter is blended and smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until all the fruit is coated in batter.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, the tops spring back slightly when pressed and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove each cake from its pan using the parchment overhang and place on the rack to cool completely.
• To store, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic and then foil. The wrapped fruitcakes can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper.
• Place the raisins and sherry in a small saucepan and heat gently for 5 minutes so the raisins will absorb the sherry. Remove from the heat and stir in the cherries and 3 tablespoons of the ground almonds. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and almond extract, and stir in the remaining ground almonds. Fold in the raisins and cherries.
• Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and fold gently into the cherry batter with a large metal spoon.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the loaf pan. If desired, turn the cooled cake over, poke a few holes in the bottom, and drizzle it with a few tablespoons of sweet sherry. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• For the financiers: In a medium bowl, add the apricots, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, orange rind and liqueur. Set aside to rehydrate the fruit.
• In a pot, melt the butter until browned and aromatic. Drain the hydrated fruit and reserve the hydrating liquid for a later use. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the fruit, brown butter, almond flour, egg whites, all-purpose flour and confectioners' sugar until fully incorporated. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Transfer the batter to a pastry bag and pipe into the financier molds. Bake until golden brown, 10 minutes.
• For the glaze: In a pot, add the orange juice, sugar and 500 grams (17 2/3 ounces) of the reserved hydrating liquid. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Dip the financier cakes in the warm glaze, and then serve.

Steps:

• In a medium sized bowl mix together the raisins, currants, cherries, apricots, walnuts, lemon zest and brandy. Cover and allow to macerate, covered in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to 7 days, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess liquid before making batter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans. In an electric mixer cream the butter and the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Sift together the dry ingredients and toss 1/2-cup of this mixture with the fruits. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients in 2 batches to the butter mixture, alternating with the orange juice and brandy. Beat until incorporated. Fold in the floured fruits and spoon batter equally into the prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour and a half or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Start with the crumb mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
• Cut the cold butter into pieces. Add the butter to the bowl and use a fork or pastry blender to cut it into the flour mixture. The mixture should resemble a moist, coarse meal. Add the slivered almonds and combine thoroughly.
• Place the still-frozen cherries in a bowl, add the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch and almond extract and gently stir the cherries to combine.
• Divide the cherries between 8 ramekins (about 1/2 cup each). Top with the crumb mixture, evening out the surface.
• Bake until the topping is crisp and golden brown, about 45 minutes. If the topping appears underdone, continue baking in 10 minute increments until it's done.
• To serve: Add the heavy cream and granulated sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
• Serve the individual crisps warm or at room temperature with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250-275 degrees.
• Batter will make about 15 lbs. Prepare pans according to chart below. Grease and line pans with brown paper, waxed paper, or parchment. Grease again. Cut paper about 1 inch taller than pans. Fill pans a little over half full with batter. If you have room in the oven, put a pan with some hot water in it in the bottom, to keep the cakes moist. Enjoy!
• Pan sizes and baking chart:
• 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan: 6 1/2 cups batter, bake for 3 hours
• 10" tube pan: 2 1/2 quarts batter, bake for 3 hrs 15 mins
• 1 lb. coffee cans: 3 3/4 cups batter, bake for 3 hrs 15 mins
• 9 1/4 oz. tuna cans: 1 cup batter, bake for 1 hour 30 mins
• No.303 (16oz) cans: 1 2/3 cup batter, bake for 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours
• 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 2-inch mini loaf pans: 3/4 cup batter, bake for 1 hour

Steps:

• Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
• Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)
• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
• Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
• When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 160C/ 325F/ Gas 3.
• Line a 20cm deep cake tin with greased non-stick baking paper.
• Place the cherry halves in a small bowl and coat with 1tbs of the flour. Put to one side.
• Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream together.
• Add the almond essence and then gradually add the eggs, beating well in between each addition.
• Stir in 60g of flaked almonds and the lemon rind.
• Fold in both flours and then gently fold in the cherries.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
• Sprinkle the remaining almonds over the surface and then bake for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes until golden.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.