Mini Royal Fruit Cakes Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat over to 350°. In a small saucepan, heat sherry, sugar and margarine until sugar is dissolved. Cool. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat egg and vanilla; stir into cooled sherry mixture until thoroughly combined. Add sherry mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened., In a large bowl, toss fruits and nuts to combine. Stir in batter. Fill 30 greased mini muffin cups with 1 tablespoon of mixture. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan 3-4 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive bowl, combine dried fruit, walnuts, and 1 1/4 cups brandy. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 8 hours (or up to 1 day), stirring occasionally.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs in 2 additions, scraping down bowl in between. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and spices. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down bowl in between. Fold fruit mixture into batter.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two minimuffin pans with paper liners. Fill each liner with 1 rounded tablespoon batter. Firmly tap pans on counter to settle batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean and edges are light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.
• Brush cakes with 1/2 cup brandy; transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. (To store, cover and refrigerate, up to 1 month.) Brush with apricot jam before serving or packing.

Steps:

• In large bowl place currants, golden raisins and dried cranberrries. Zest and juice orange; add to bowl. Zest and juice lemon zest; add to bowl. Pour in 1/2 cup brandy, mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand overnight. Drain extra liquid off soaked fruit, if needed.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch cake pan. To make cake, beat butter, molasses and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occassionally until blended. Gradually add the eggs and flour, alternating until both are incorporated. Stir in soaked fruit. Spread into pan.
• Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and surface is deep golden brown. Let cool in pan, about 2 hours. Brush with remaining 3 tablespoons brandy. Remove from pan.
• To decorate, cut cake into 12 rows by 8 rows. Place 24 squares, leaving space between each, on wire rack.
• In medium microwave-safe bowl, place frosting from one container. Microwave on High in 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth and pourable. Quickly spoon about 1 tablespoon spoon frosting over each of 24 mini cakes, covering tops and letting frosting drip over sides. Reheat frosting as needed, if necessary. Repeat with remaining frosting and mini cakes. Let stand about 30 minutes or until frosting is set. Decorate with edible fresh flowers and mint, if desired. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• Combine currants, raisins, sultana raisins, and candied cherries in a plastic container with a lid. Pour brandy over dried fruit; stir in orange and lemon zest. Close container and set aside to soak for 2 to 3 days. Stir or shake container every few hours as you remember.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with 24 cupcake cases or lightly grease 24 ramekins.
• Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs and molasses and beat well. Stir in all-purpose flour, self-rising flour, almonds, and mixed spice until well combined. Fold in almonds and soaked fruit; mix well. Spoon mixture into the prepared cases or ramekins.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the center rack until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean, about 90 minutes. Allow to cool in their cases.
• Store in airtight tins or wrap them tightly in greaseproof paper and aluminum foil for at least 10 days before decorating.
• Heat jam in the microwave for 10 seconds until warmed and brush onto each cake.
• Roll out marzipan between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Cut out circles with a round cookie cutter or a glass with the same diameter as the cakes. Arrange marzipan circles on top of the jam on each mini fruitcake. Store fruitcakes in an airtight container before finishing the final decoration, 8 hours to overnight.
• Roll out white fondant between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and cut out circles with the same diameter as the cakes. Press a cookie stencil with a snowflake pattern onto the fondant circles. Color in the snowflake pattern with blue food coloring using a small brush and place on top of the marzipan layer. Repeat with remaining cakes.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine molasses and water; add raisins. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in candied fruit and vanilla. Cool., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 eggs at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking soda and spices; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Add fruit mixture, mixing well. Fold in nuts., Fill paper-lined miniature muffin cups almost full. Bake at 325° for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease five 5" x 3" mini loaf pans.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup flour, candied fruit, dates, raisins and nuts; toss until well coated, set aside.
• In another bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and the remaining 2-3/4 cups flour; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice.
• Stir in fruit and nut mixture, mix well.
• Spoon into prepared mini loaf pans (pans will be full).
• Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven; cover with foil; bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cakes test done with a toothpick.
• Let stand 10 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks.
• In a bowl, combine the glaze ingredients.
• With pastry brush, brush glaze over the warm loaves.
• Cool completely.

Steps:

• 1. In a saucepan, combine molasses, water and vanilla; add raisins and bring to a boil.
• 2. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fruit; cool.
• 3. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after adding each egg.
• 4. Stir together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk.
• 5. Stir in fruit mixture; mixing well. Fold in the nuts.
• 6. Spoon into paper lined miniature muffin cups, filling almost to the top.
• 7. Bake at 325 for 22-24 minutes or until cake test shows it is done.

Steps:

• 1. Oven should be preheated to 250 (yes that is correct - 250) and cooking time is 2 hours (yes, 2 hours). Prep time is about 30 minutes. You will need 5-6 Mini Loaf Pans approximately 5" x 3" in size, I used 6.
• 2. Bowl #1 - Mix flour, baking powder and sugar, SET ASIDE
• 3. Bowl #2 - Mix Eggs, Vanilla extract and Almond extract together, SET ASIDE
• 4. Bowl #3 - Mix Dates, Cherries (RED AND GREEN), Pineapple (get the largest pieces you can find, not whole but not the bits either) and Nuts together, SET ASIDE. (note: I have also used Pecans - either or both are excellent) NOTE #1: BE SURE to SET ASIDE 3 CHERRIES for EACH mini Pan to go ON TOP of each cake before cooking. NOTE #2: I do not add all the syrup from the candied fruit, I do my best to remove the candied fruit from the containers leaving behind the goo. I do not rinse the fruit.
• 5. Follow this order for easiest blending of above ingredients - Mix Bowl #1 and Bowl #2 together. Be sure to get a creamy, no lumps remaining, smooth consistency. I use a large spatula to achieve best blend.
• 6. REMINDER: BEFORE YOU FOLD BOWL #3 into the BATTER created by BOWL #1 & BOWL #2 - BE SURE to set aside three cherries for each fruit cake to put on top of each mini loaf before they go in the oven. THEN, fold ingredients of Bowl #3 into your above blended batter.
• 7. Spray your individual mini loaf pans (as seen in photo) with a cooking spray of your choice.
• 8. Scoop out enough batter to fill each tin. Do not over fill. This recipe will fill 6 individual mini tins nicely. NOW - ADD THE SET ASIDE CHERRIES to the top of your loaf pan now filled with the completed batter to accent your creation.
• 9. Place the tins on a large cookie sheet (for easiest in and out placement to oven) AND BAKE - 250 slow oven for 2 hours.
• 10. When finished, remove from oven and let cook on wire rack.
• 11. I leave the fruit cake in the pans, and then put the pretty little Fruit Cakes in a fancy clear food type gift bag or wrap in clear plastic wrap and add a bow so everyone can see your delicious treat when you present it to them.