I've made both of these, but it has been many years. I made them with Grandpa Jim a few times - he was a fruitcake lover like me. (The recipes were clipped from the Post Dispatch in the 1990s or possibly the 1980s.) Grandpa Jim always insisted on cutting fruitcake slices very thin (with a very sharp knife) so that the light would shine through the candied fruit like stained glass.
Even after you have gathered all of the supplies, making these is an all-day endeavor. When I have made them, I have substituted dried or candied fruit for at least some of the ones called for in the recipes, but the total quantity of fruit & nuts needs to equal what the recipe calls for. (Except you can probably omit the coconut from the White Fruitcake recipe.) The batter, especially after the fruit is mixed in, will be very thick and dense.
These need to bake for a long time at a lower temperature (check the recipes for temp & time). Grocery stores sell small foil pans that work well for these, and small pans will bake a little more quickly. Also, you may want to have a supply of clean cheesecloth, for dipping in brandy (or whatever) and wrapping the cakes after they are cool. (And then wrap them in foil.)
Comments
Post a Comment