Fruit Cake

My oh my how time flies....I look back and see that it's been quite a while since I last posted.  Finals are over and life can get back to "normal" for a short while.  So guess what I did first?  I baked fruit cake.  I love doing this every year.  No matter what you think of fruitcake, I love this recipe and hope that maybe you'll try it and be converted.  It is a white cake and doesn't contain any of that nasty citron, which I think has given fruit cake its bad reputation. 



In your mixing bowl, beat the butter,  sugar and eggs. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract.   Then add the flour and baking soda.  Mix well after each addition.  Next you will stir in your fruit and nuts. By this time the batter is pretty stiff and you will have to stir in your fruit by hand.   Prepare your pans by greasing just the bottom with shortening and then coating with flour.  Shake off excess flour. 

Put your batter in your pans....I use a couple of different sized small loaf pans.  This works great for us....just two in the house now.  This way, I can give some for gifts.  You could also use a tube cake pan and make just one cake.  What ever works for you!

Place them in the oven and bake til done.

Aren't they pretty!

Now...wrap them in cheesecloth, put in a couple of plastic bags and pour in some Apricot Brandy.  You will continue to add brandy occasionally as the cakes absorb it over the next several weeks.  The cakes will last a couple of months, allowing you to enjoy every bite!

This is a recipe I have created using a couple of different recipes....I hope you like it!

Let me know what you think!

1 cup real butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

5 eggs

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3 cups pecans

20 oz. candied red, green or combination, candied cherries

20 oz. candied pineapple

1 1/4 cup golden raisins

Bake in a slow over, 275 degrees til done.  If you are using a tube pan, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.  Remove and cool on a rack.  Wrap in cheese cloth, place in plastic bags and pour approximatly 1/2 cup brandy of your choice.  Rewet with the brandy every few days and after a couple of weeks.....Enjoy!  Let me know what you think!  I hope this recipe will change your idea of what fruit cake is!