Fruit Cake 2019....2022....2023

[Texas Ranger]

Collin Street Bakery, Corsicana, Texas

I killed the web site, to much commercialism.  But, best fruitcake I know of, other than the ones my mom made with lots of rum soaked in.

[kantuckid]

My Dad worked with the trucking industry across many/most states from his KS DMV job and when I was a kid they'd send him fruit boxes, baskets, hams and Collin Street Fruitcakes which were very good in my opinion. Also, my uncle who was a baker in a high end KC, MO bakery made them from stuff he scraped out of large bakery bowls-seriously good. His other specialty was a macaroon to die for! He told me they had the best butter sold in them. All butter is not the same. 
 Last year I took a bunch of old fruitcake recipes and combined them into my own fruitcake with all the right stuff inside. I left out all candied fruit except I added maraschino cherries instead for color. Mine has lots of pecans and dried fruit instead of candied stuff I can live w/o. I also like spicy & dark which mine has much of. I need to get it out and make it. 
Another old time holiday treat I like is date roll, the candy kind not the date roll cookies which are ok but not my main event. It's almost as tricky as the deep south pralines to make it and not have it go to sugar 

[streem26]

I've made Alton Brown's Fruitcake recipe several times over the years but as it comes with recipes after knowing how it turns out I change it up so it's never the same every time.

[Magicman]

 

 
Our Southern Supreme "Nutcake" came Friday.    

[kantuckid]

For me- "nuttier than a fruitcake" comes to mind. 
We had an old main drag, downtown shop in Topeka named the Nifty Nuthouse, which sold food gifts, roasted nuts etc.. As kids we thought it was somehow a reminder of being nutty, as in brain weak. I'll dig out my self created fruitcake recipe to share here.   

[doc henderson]

I need one, as I am not sure my Mom wrote hers down.

[SwampDonkey]

Suet pudding for that, just use the fruitcake with the sauce instead. ;D

[jimbarry]

Fruit cake occurs here any time of year



 

 

[kantuckid]

Here's my  fruitcake recipe I concocted last holiday season from several recipes we had on hand. I've made it once and thus a tested recipe and VG.
"Mike's 2020 Covid Fruitcake":
2cups all-purpose flour
1/2cup chunky applesauce
1 tsp soda
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup of mixed raisins (If you like superb raisins & coffees & dried fruits-see Nuts.com!)
1/2 cup dried figs
1/2 cup dried apricots (If you dislike some particular dried fruit just add more of another)
1/2 cup coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup softened butter
4 oz crushed drained pineapple
6oz jar maraschino cherries halved (keep juice for later)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg-lightly whisked/beaten

Liquids to moisten your cake: (I used all three of first three listed- 1/2 Cup total divided by 3 items.)
1/2 cup whiskey or OJ or red wine or mixture as you prefer
1/4 cup Kentucky Sorghum (PM me to find the real thing from a Kentucky farmer-I have zero gain from this-at all! )
1/4 cup maple syrup (not fake corn syrup concoction!)
1 tsp lemon juice

Combine flour, nuts, dried fruits, then add apple sauce, pineapple & maraschino cherries, mix then combine with butter, sugar, syrups and egg
until creamy. Place in greased loaf pan (I used an angel food cake pan) and bake @ 325 degs for 65 mins.

Allow cake to cool completely before removing! Once cooled, wrap partially in alu foil with top still exposed.

Heat the combo of liquids your using to moisten and flavor your cake along with 2 T of brown sugar & lemon juice, pour slowly over cake then finish wrapping. Top cake with lots of pecan halves and a few nice maraschino cherry halves.  Allow the cake to sit a few weeks and mellow out.

I buy my dried fruits in bulk- My favorite date is the Deglet Noor, all natural & organic, un-pitted and un-steamed from a small California date farmer. I buy 11lb boxes  Make a great snack out working in your pockets or shop. I also so like Barhi, Honey dates and a few others. I find the common, large medjhools to be a bit too sweet and overpowering. If your notion of a date is a hard bunch crammed into a small box your missing the real thing. Pitted dates are typically always steamed dates which are the end of the season version, softened for retail shipping by wholesalers.  

Another dark cake I like is an applesauce cake with lots of nuts. Dolly Parton's version is VG. My wifes family were "cake people". They ate regular hillbilly foods but when it came to deserts-cakes, pies candy they really ventured out! Their Orange Candy Cake is better than it might sound at first.
Carrot cakes are favorite of mine! Red Velvet cakes are our sons childhood favorite. Made from scratch, not a mix!

[SwampDonkey]

I used to make a rich bread from various nut flours. Can't get floured nuts it seems in this area. Instead of all the high sugar, you have the rich nuts oils. You do need sugar, but not as much as you'd think. ;D

kantuckid, that looks mouth watering as I read your recipe. You know that I know dates (and unadulterated figs) to. :D

[kantuckid]

I dislike candied fruits and citron, plus they are not healthy. I did forget to say above that I placed a few maraschino cherry halves on top for some color.
PM me to hear where I bought my dates this year-I have zero to gain from this being mentioned-just being friendly. This is their season and these are a real deal.
When I crack hickory nuts I get more flour than I want. Pecan wholesalers all sell various size nuts meats and the flour which is sold in a few grocery stores too.

[Magicman]

 

 Our 3lb. Southern Supreme Nutty Fruitcake came today and yup, it is now missing a couple of slices.  

[sawguy21]

 8) One of my favorite treats.

[kantuckid]

I love fruit cake.
 The Texas version that's been sold for years from Corsicana, TX-I suspect it has enough AAAA butter in it to kill anyone with heart disease-like me. I'm not making one this year, going with what the wife comes up with or a pizza now and then. 
BTW, kind of jumping the gun eating fruitcake before Nov.'s over?  :D  

[Magicman]

OK guys, I have no shame.  The Southern Supreme Fruitcake has been ordered.

[sawguy21]

 8) I am looking forward to fresh fruitcake and a glass of old fashioned eggnog. Yum!!!