Christmas Bourbon Fruitcake Squares Recipes

Steps:

• On the first day, combine the candied orange peel, candied citron, candied pineapple, red and green candied cherries, currants, raisins, walnuts, and almonds. Combine the orange juice and the 2/3 cup bourbon; pour over the fruit and nuts. Stir and then cover tightly. Let the fruit marinate in a cool place for 1 full day, or at least 20 hours.
• On the second day, line two 9x5 inch loaf pans with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease the inside with cooking spray. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a whisk to blend.
• In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. Stir in the egg yolks until blended and then mix in the applesauce, the 1/2 cup bourbon, and vanilla until fluffy. Continue stirring, and add the the flour mixture gradually until well combined. Add the molasses and stir to combine. When the batter is thoroughly mixed, gently mix in the fruit and nut mixture with all of its juices.
• In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until they can hold a stiff peak. Fold egg whites into the batter. Divide evenly between the prepared pans. Cover loosely with a towel and let the batter stand overnight in a cool, dry place.
• On the third day, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place a large baking pan on the bottom shelf and pour boiling water into it until almost full. Place a baking sheet on the center shelf and place the fruit cakes on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven. Check the water level and refill if needed. Cover the cakes with a sheet of parchment paper, taking care not to let it touch the shelf. Continue to bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour more. Cool fruitcakes in the pans, set over a wire rack. Once cool, remove the cakes from the pans, and leave the parchment paper on. Sprinkle with more bourbon if desired and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in a tin or other sealed container overnight before serving.

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• In a saucepan or microwave, melt butter, pour into a 15" x 10" baking pan.
• Sprinkle with Vanilla wafer crumbs evenly on top.
• Arrange fruits and nuts evenly on top of the crumb mixture; press down gently.
• Combine the sweetened condensed milk with the Bourbon; pour evenly over top of fruit/nut mixture.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Remove from oven; cool completely.
• Cut in squares.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla. Add flour and walnuts; mix well. Spread evenly into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with pineapple, cherries and dates; press lightly into dough. , Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Steps:

• Relative amounts of dried and candied fruit can be varied, but the total amount of fruit should be about 5 cups.
• Additional fruit and nuts can be added if you like lots in your fruitcake.
• Chop fruit as necessary.
• Halve the green and red candied cherries, and very coarsely chop apricots and dried pineapple.
• Very coarsely chop pecans.
• Place fruit and nuts in a large bowl, and toss well with the 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.
• Cream softened butter and sugar, using an electric mixer, until well combined.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, and set aside.
• Sift all dry ingredients, and stir until well combined.
• Stir 1/3 cup bourbon into milk in measuring cup.
• Using an electric mixer, alternately, add flour mixture and milk mixture to the creamed butter, starting and ending with flour, mixing to combine well after each addition.
• When thoroughly combined, toss flour coated fruit and nuts again, and fold into batter using a large wooden spoon or spatula.
• Place rack in middle of oven with second rack below, place a cookie sheet on the lower rack to shield loaf pans from heat.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease 5-6 mini-loaf pans (3"x5½”x2") loaf pans or a 10" tube pan (preferably with a removable bottom), and line with greased wax paper.
• If using mini-loaf pans just press 5 or 5½” wide pieces crosswise in pans; don’t worry about the pan ends.
• Fill pans just to the top or a little below with batter, dividing evenly.
• Fruitcakes will rise just a little above the top a little during baking, but they won’t overflow.
• If using mini-loaf pans, bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean, If using a tube pan, bake for about 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Pans should be shuffled about and turned after half of baking time has passed to ensure that fruitcake (s) bake evenly.
• When done, remove fruitcakes from oven, and set on cooling racks to cool for 10 minutes.
• Turn fruitcakes out of pans, peel off wax paper, and set on cooling racks for another 10 minutes.
• Brush loaves generously with dry sherry, and return to racks to cool completely.
• Allow to set overnight, covered, for sherry to soak in to loaves.
• Cut cheesecloth into pieces large enough wrap each loaf in a double or triple layer, and soak cheesecloth pieces in 1/2 cup bourbon.
• Wrap loaves in the cheesecloth, and sprinkle any remaining bourbon on top.
• Wrap in foil, and set in a cool place to age for 1 week.
• Carefully peel back foil, and brush or spray each loaf with remaining 1/2 cup bourbon.
• Replace foil, and allow loaves to age 1 more week before eating or giving as gifts.
• This brushing and aging process can be repeated several more times if desired, assuming that you started well before Christmas.
• This recipe can easily be doubled if your oven is large enough to handle all the pans.

Steps:

• Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup rum for at least 24 hours. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 6x3-inch round pan or loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into butter and sugar in three batches, alternating with molasses and milk. Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum.
• Cut out one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake. Moisten cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin, and age for at least 10 weeks. If storing longer, douse with additional rum for every 10 weeks of storage.

Steps:

• Stir together dried fruit, candied ginger, peel, and 1/2 cup liqueur. Let stand at room temperature 3 hours or overnight.
• Cut parchment paper to line the bottom of a 7-by-3-inch or 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Coat pan with cooking spray; line with parchment. Spray lining. Flour pan; tap out excess.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle; mix on medium speed until smooth. Mix in eggs (1 at a time), molasses, and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture; mix until smooth. Mix in fruit, nuts, and coconut.
• Pour batter into pan. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 2 1/2 hours for 9-inch cake or 2 3/4 hours for 7-inch cake. If desired, brush with up to 1/2 cup liqueur. Unmold; let cool.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly butter a 9" x 13" pan.
• BASE - Using a food processor, whirl flour & icing sugar together until blended. Add the butter & pulse until mixture starts forming a ball.
• Turn into baking pan and press evenly over the bottom. Bake in the centre of the oven @ 350*, for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden. Remove from oven, but leave oven on.
• TOPPING: Prepare the topping while the base is baking.
• Place the raisins and cranberries and bourbon in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on "high" for 1 minute.
• Cut cherries in half.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the corn syrup, brown sugar & vanilla.
• Stir in the 2 tablespoons flour, then the raisin-cranberry-bourbon mixture, pineapple, cherries and pecans. Spread over the base.
• Return to oven & bake @ 350*, until the center is set and the edges are golden. This should take 25-30 minutes.
• Cool completely & cut into squares.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the candied fruits, raisins, currants, and bourbon. Mix well, cover and marinate 3 hours on the counter.
• Cream together the butter, and brown sugar until fluffy in a KitchenAid mixer.
• Beat in the eggs, on at a time.
• Add the melted chocolate, walnuts, and the marinated fruit along with the bourbon.
• Blend for a minute and add the flour, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Mix well until all is incorporated. Pack the heavy batter into a greased 10 X 4 tube pan.
• Bake in a preheated 300 deg. oven for 2 hours and 10 minutes. Remove to a rack.
• When the cake is cool enough to handle. Remove from the pan and cool on the rack.
• Place the cooled cake in a stainless steel pot iwth a lid and drizzle half of the brandy over it. Cover and allow to rest on the counter for 1 week. After 1 week, drizzle with the remaining brandy, cover and allow to rest another week.
• Slice and serve. This cake will keep for months in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Line an 8-in. square baking dish with parchment, letting ends extend up sides of pan; grease and set aside., In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dates, pineapple and cherries; toss to coat. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, brown sugar and vanilla until blended; stir into fruit mixture. Stir in pecans. Press firmly into prepared baking dish., Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is golden. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Using parchment, transfer to a wire rack. Remove paper; cool fruitcake completely. , Using a serrated knife, cut into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-in. square baking pan with heavy-duty foil; grease foil. In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bourbon. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with candied fruit., In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition. Stir in pecans., Drop batter by spoonfuls over fruit; spread carefully. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate; remove foil. Serve warm.