Fruitcake Recipe produces a moist old-fashioned fruit cake made with bananas, nuts and other fruits that you have on hand everyday.
Also included is a recipe for a spicy and unique Japanese Fruitcake.
No need to wait for Christmas to enjoy a Fruitcake Recipe.
Most fruitcakes are prepared a few weeks in advance to allow them to be soaked in alcohol such as rum or sherry.
This practice makes them moist, improves the flavor and acts as a preservative.
Moisture is provided in this cake batter with the addition of bananas and
apples, plus the top glaze, so it can be eaten
immediately.
However, the flavors improve if allowed to set as suggested
below.
Beat eggs, sugars, and vanilla in mixing bowl until mixed well.
Stir
together flour, soda, salt, and spices.
Add to egg mixture alternately with oil.
Stir in rum.
Fold in fruits and nuts.
Pour into a greased and floured tube pan.
Bake in a preheated oven 350 F. 1 hour.
Mix
all together until smooth.
Pour on cake immediately after baking.
Let
stand in pan 5 minutes before removing.
Cake tastes best if allowed to
stand at room temperature overnight before serving. foof
The following Japanese Fruitcake Recipe is an old fashioned recipe dating back to the middle ages.
It is quite different from the majority of fruitcakes you find during the holidays.
That difference, without the traditional candied and dried fruits and peels, makes this cake a special dessert for celebrations other than Christmas.
I first learned about this cake in the early 1960s when my husband's family from South Eastern North Carolina would send it to him every Christmas.
It was the only dessert my in-laws made that I can think of that I didn't like.
I discovered that it was the strong spicy taste and smell of ground cloves I didn't like.
So, I don't use that spice in this cake recipe as most folks do.
I also use mace instead of nutmeg which lends a milder, fresher taste in my opinion.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
Measure ground mace, ground cinnamon and allspice and set aside.
Using low speed on mixer, cream butter about 30 seconds to soften.
Stir in vanilla extract.
Turn mixer to medium speed and add sugar a little at a time beating well after each addition.
Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
Scrape down sides and bottom and turn mixer to high speed and beat 1 minute.
Divide batter in half, leaving 1/2 in mixing bowl.
Pour 1/2 batter equally into two 8" prepared cake pans (have been lined with parchment paper and greased with butter and sprinkled lightly with flour).
To the second 1/2 batter, add spices and mix 30 seconds on medium speed.l
Gently, fold in chopped raisins until they are evenly mixed.
Gently, fold in chopped pecans until they are evenly mixed.
Pour the remaining batter in 2 more 8" prepared cake pans.
Smooth tops of batter with spatula or back of tablespoon.
Bake in a preheated 350F. 20-25 minutes or until tests done when probed with a cake tester or toothpick.
Remove from oven and cool on cooling race for 10 minutes.
Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen cake.
Invert the cake on to a cooling rack and let cool completely before putting the filling on.
Place cornstarch in bottom of small sauce pan.
Add a little water at a time while stirring the cornstarch in so it doesn't lump or if it does you can stir the lumps out.
Stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Place saucepan on medium heat and drop= in butter and let melt.
Fold in coconut and stir until mixture coats a spoon and is a pudding consistency.
Takes 5-8 minutes, depending on your store and saucepan.
Remove from heat and let cool to warm temperature.
Place a layer of spiced cake upside down on cake plate and top with 1/4 of filling.
Place a yellow layer on filling, top side up.
Smooth on 1/4 of filling, then add another spiced layer, top side up.
Add another yellow layer and top it with filling.
Then add the final layer of spiced cake and rest of filling.
Smooth out and let cake and warm filling set for an hour or so.
Wrap thoroughly cooled cake loosely with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator a few days to let flavors meld before serving.