Holiday Fruitcake

Ingredients

Produce
- 1 1/2 cups Candied cherries, whole red
- 1 1/2 cups Candied cherries, whole green
- 3 cups Candied pineapple
- 10 oz Golden raisins

Refrigerated
- 5 Eggs, large

Baking & Spices
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 3 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Shortening
- 1 cup Sugar
- 4 tbsp Vanilla extract

Nuts & Seeds
- 1 lb Walnut, halves

Time
Prepare: 20M
Cook: 2H
Total: 2H 20M

Found on tasteofhome.com

Description

This is my own recipe and its a family favorite. The mixture of fruits and nuts helps make it a tasty treat.

For all those folks who find this cake to be dry, add half a cup of oil or 1/4th cup oil 1/4 cup heavy cream to the batter n mix it in. That will ensure the cake comes out moist.

I added one more cup of cherries, used regular raisins, and instead of all vanilla I did half vanilla and half caramel extract. I also added a couple teaspoons of cinnamon and a half teaspoon of nutmeg. Ive made four so far because everyone loves them so much they are requesting them for church parties and family gatherings! Ignore the posts about it being dry, it will seem dry when you take it out but it gets better and more moist the following day!

Note: if you want the fruitcake to have a Rum/Brandy taste you need to use the Rum on your cake. Soak the fruit/nuts overnight in the Rum. Here is a link telling how to do the fruitcake. Also a hint. After the holidays Walmart usually puts the candied fruit on sale. I buy the fruit then for the next years fruitcake and store it in the freezer. I make my fruitcakes in July or August for the holidays. After 2 months of doing what the link below tells you to do the I double wrap them in foil over the cheese cloths that are still wet with the Rum and put in the freezer. I also use more fruit, like dried dates, apple, apricots & cranberries. I also add cinnamon, clove, allspice & nutmeg to taste. Soaking all the fruit especially the dried fruit makes the cakes very moist. I never use the citrus candied fruit as it give a bitter taste I dont like. I double the recipe where I can use more fruit. I usually make 4-5 fruitcakes at a time.http://www.ehow.com/how_7328710_soak-fruit-cakes-rum-whiskey.htmlHope this helps.......5 stars because of soaking the fruit very well.

Responding to Jeffyboyblues: I bought my candied fruit at Walmart...I bought glazed cherries and a container of mixed candied fruit as they did not have the candied fruit in separate containers. I have also seen it in other grocery stores...you might have to ask where in the store.

WE also tried this cake this year and found it dry. Mine took a little longer to bake (ovens vary). I used 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening but I do not think that would cause dryness. The words large eggs can vary so...maybe that was it. The recipe says pour... to me that mean like a cake/pancake batter. There was no way this batter poured. We had to scarp it out of bowl. The flavor is good and the cake seems a little more moist as it has set a couple of weeks. I used gold raisins and plumped them in a little spiced rum overnight. Did not have a rum flavor in the cake.

Where do i buy candied fruits

I followed the directions EXACTLY. I used butter for the shortening... it came out beautiful, but turned out to be dry. My cake was done in one hour and fifty minutes, so watch the time if you bake this.

I love the reviews and looking forward to making this fruit cake for this Christmas 2014. I wanted to inform you that Crisco comes in a butter flavor as well.

I don't know what TOH was thinking when they told you that shortening is butter. IT IS NOT BUTTER. Shortening is Crisco or any other brand of solid vegetable fat.

I called TOH. They said to use butter so I did. One of the best ever! Everyone said so. I still wonder if she used some Crisco.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups whole red candied cherries
1-1/2 cups whole green candied cherries
3 cups diced candied pineapple
1 pound walnut halves
10 ounces golden raisins
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
4 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Directions Preheat oven to 300°. Combine fruit and nuts. In another bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Pour over fruit and nuts; stir to coat. Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 2 hours. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool place. Bring to room temperature before serving; slice with a serrated knife. Yield: 12-16 servings. Originally published as Holiday Fruitcake in Country December/January 2001, p51 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-i, container: taboola-native-stream-thumbnails, placement: Native Stream Thumbnails, target_type: mix });

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