Here is the fruitcake recipe that I have, but it needs some help. The spices are not just right. It just doesn't taste like Grandma's. Can anybody help me out a bit, please?
Old fashioned Fruit cake
1lb whole pecans
1lb dates
½ lb candied cherries
5 whole eggs, beaten till fluffy
1c sugar
1 c. plus 1 tbsp. plain flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ - ½ c. brandy or orange juice
Mix dry ingredients and sift over fruit and nuts: pour beaten eggs over. Add vanilla and mix well.
Pour into greased pans and bake in low oven (no more than 300) for 1 ½ hrs. Let stand a week or more before cutting. (it is best to let stand 30 days or more)
* brandy or orange juice should be added after all ingredients have been mixed before baking.
Note: Add ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cinnamon to dry ingredients.
I’ve only made 1 fruit cake and it didn’t come out great (it was close) but it was tasty....
this link is from Alton Brown (I haven’t attempted it)
looks good and the handy video is getting me geared yet again to make fruit cake this year...and comments on the link look good
(I do love fruit cake - does that make me weird?:>)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/altons-fruitcake/video/index.html
Mace? Did Grandma grind her allspice?
This is a recipe I got from my mother in law’s sister. She used to send us one every year when she was younger and it was excellent. She is in poor health now and unable to bake them every year, so I asked her for her recipe. This fruit cake is my favorite fruit cake. Even those who normally don’t like fruitcake love this one!
Fruit Cake
Ingredients:
1lb. Candied Cherries (red and green)
1 lb. Candied Pineapple
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
½ lb. butter
2 cups flour
1 oz. (1 small bottle) vamilla extract
1 oz. (1 small bottle) lemon extract
5 cups chopped nuts: (2 cups pecans, 2 cups walnuts, 1 cup mixed brazil, almonds, and hazelnuts)
Cut cherries in half or quarters, chop nuts, add all candied fruit and nuts with 1 cup of flour toss with flour.
In a separate bowl mix butter and sugar together add eggs and beat in with sugar mixture. Add the remaining 1 cup of the flour to the mixture. Mix together well, slowly add nuts and fruit to mixture. Add lemon and vanilla to the mixture. Mixture will be thick. Preheat oven to 300/325 degreea. Grease and flour angel food cake plan. Bake 1 hour to 1 ½ hour. Use a tooth pick to check for stickyness. 1 hour is best for lower altitudes, but many need the extra ½ hour at a higher elevation. Use tin foil to cover cake if top is browning too quickly.
That seems like a lot of eggs and no molasses? I’d try adding 2 T of molasses and reducing the eggs to 2 and maybe add a tiny amount of ground cloves. 1/8 tsp or a little less? It can be overpowering but it does add something.