Fruitcake recipes for those who love it

Published 12:52 pm Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Fruitcake, like mincemeat, is one of those ages-old holiday traditions that still enjoys a certain amount of popularity.

It’s so popular around here, though, that we actually have some recipes that had to be held over from last year, due to the awesome supply sent along by Forum cooks.

So, for those who must have their fruitcake, we have two new — albeit old — recipes to try.

Marilyn Patzer of Tulalip starts us off and says, “This is a recipe my mom brought from California in the 1960s. It’s nothing like the traditional flavor in fruitcake and has eight main white fruitcake ingredients.’’

Next, Everett cook Helen Healas mentions, “My family has always enjoyed this fruitcake as it has NO CITRON!’’

Mom’s California white fruitcake

1cup shredded coconut

1cup white raisins

1cup chopped candied pineapple

1cup chopped candied green cherries

1cup chopped candied red cherries

1cup chopped blanched almonds

1cup chopped pecans

3cups sifted flour, divided

1teaspoon baking powder

1cup shortening

2cups sugar

1tablespoon vanilla

1/2cup fruit syrup (preferably pineapple-orange fruit syrup)

8egg whites

In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut, raisins, candied pineapple, green and red cherries, almonds and pecans with 1 cup of the flour. Sift remaining flour with baking powder. Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add sifted dry ingredients and syrup and beat well. Mix in the fruit mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into the batter.

Pour batter into greased bread pans lined with heavy greased paper. The oven temperature should be 275 degrees for a slow bake; bake for 4 hours. Test with a toothpick to see if done. When done, toothpick will come out clean.

No-citron candied fruitcake

2cups flour

2teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1pound candied pineapple, coarsely cut

1pound whole candied cherries, plus some for decorating

11/2pounds pitted dates, coarsely cut

4eggs

1cup sugar

2pounds (8 cups) pecan halves, plus some for decorating

Light corn syrup

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add pineapple, cherries and dates; mix well with hands to coat each piece of fruit with flour. Beat eggs until frothy and gradually beat in sugar. Add to the fruit and mix well. With hands, mix in the pecans.

Grease and line with brown paper two 3-by-5-by-9-inch loaf pans. Add mixture and press down firmly with fingers. Decorate tops with rows of whole cherries and pecan halves. Bake in a very slow oven (275 degrees) about 11/2 hours. Let cakes stand in pans about 5 minutes. Remove and pull off brown paper. Turn top side up and brush with corn syrup. When cold, wrap well and store in a cool place.

Makes two loaves.

The next Forum will appear in Friday’s comics pages.