What makes a "good" fruitcake?

[Eachna]

I'm American and my husband is Australian.

My husband loves fruitcake. I loathe it and find it somewhat incomprehensible.

However, he is incapable of finding a commercial version of a fruitcake that he likes. I tried asking my Mother-in-Law for her recipe, but she's refused to share it. All I know is she soaked it in some sort of alcohol for about a month, and she bought assorted small jars of candied fruit peel. And she called it "Christmas pud". Oh, and I learned my husband doesn't like ginger, so the fruitcake probably shouldn't have ginger in it.

I'm at my wit's end...because...I know nothing about fruitcakes and so I have no context for what's "good" or "bad" in them.

 

[dragnlaw]

I have a recipe that I made eons ago. It was pretty good. Needs to 'age' after making so be prepared. Might take me awhile to find it!

On the other hand you could just order some on line and have it shipped in .

 

[dragnlaw]

Also meant to mention that there are really two types. One is a dark cake, the other a lighter cake.

I never liked the dark one when I was younger, to strong, bitter or whatever. But did like the white cake style, more like a pound cake.

Truth to tell I don't remember which my recipe is. Looking it up now...

 

[Addie]

We have had discussions in the past regarding fruit cakes. I will assume you mean the kind of fruit cake you eat and not people who are fruit cakes.

I am sure some of our members have posted their recipes for fruit cake. It seems the discussion comes up every holiday. Search through the cake recipes and you will find one I am sure.

And welcome to DC. If you have a question, you can count on several folks having an answer for you. We secretly think of ourselves as "know it alls" when it comes to cooking. Although none of us will admit it.

I think it is reprehensible that your MIL will not share her recipe with you. How else does she expect family recipes to be passed down through the generations. I am only too happy to share any recipe I may have with anyone that wants it. I consider it a compliment when someone asks for it.

Good luck in your quest. And stick around. We like having new members.

 

[Steve Kroll]

...And she called it "Christmas pud". Oh, and I learned my husband doesn't like ginger, so the fruitcake probably shouldn't have ginger in it.

What your mother-in-law refers to is a traditional English (and possibly Australian, I guess) Christmas dessert.

Traditional Christmas Pudding - English - Recipes - from Delia Online

Typically this is served after the big Christmas meal, and is often brought into the room set ablaze.

 

[dragnlaw]

Thank you Addie and Steve. I found my recipe but was flabbergasted at the list of ingredients. It is daunting to think of typing this out (and I'm a typist!)

Eachna, if someone has already posted one you'd probably be best to check them out first. It is possible that it is more of a Christmas Pudding, soaked in rum (or something) and steamed and served with a Hard Sauce.

Let us know what you decide to do!

 

[Mad Cook]

I'm American and my husband is Australian.

My husband loves fruitcake. I loathe it and find it somewhat incomprehensible.

However, he is incapable of finding a commercial version of a fruitcake that he likes. I tried asking my Mother-in-Law for her recipe, but she's refused to share it. All I know is she soaked it in some sort of alcohol for about a month, and she bought assorted small jars of candied fruit peel. And she called it "Christmas pud". Oh, and I learned my husband doesn't like ginger, so the fruitcake probably shouldn't have ginger in it.

I'm at my wit's end...because...I know nothing about fruitcakes and so I have no context for what's "good" or "bad" in them.

Allow me to offer the recipe I use (which I developed from a really boring dry fruit cake) is as follows.

Put 1lb mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants and chopped mixed candied citrus peel - available ready mixed in packets here in the UK - worth having a look in the States but easily mixed at home.) and about 4 ounces other glace fruits (cherries, mango, papaya, pineapple or what you will) in a saucepan with 4 oz butter (1 stick?) 4 oz brown sugar and 1/4 (UK) pint liquid (5 fluid ounces - I use half and half whisky , brandy or rum and water for every day but less water and more "hooch" for special occasions. If you don't "do" alcohol you could use orange juice or water or tea.)

Bring this to a simmer stirring to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring from time to time (don't go away and leave it or it might turn to toffee!) then remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 1/2 and hour.

Then add 2 beaten eggs and 8 oz self raising flour sifted with 1/2 a teaspoon mixed spice (optional), stir well and put into a deep 7" diameter cake pan which has been lined with baking parchment (I don't grease it but you can if you'd rather).

Bake in a pre-heated oven 325 degrees F/170 degrees C/gas mark 3 for 1/2 and hour. Then reduce the temperature to 300F/150C/gas mark 2 for a further 1 and 1/2 hours. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning it our to cool on a wire cooling rack.

Store it in a tin or similar for a few days to eat it at it's best. It keeps for a couple of weeks or more if you can keep it away from the fruit cake lovers for that long.

This is absolutely fool-proof, doesn't need a food mixer and is moist and fruity. I make them by the dozen for bake sales and they are always scooped up by those who are in the know - one lady has been known to buy 6 at a time! People often say they don't like fruit cake but they like this!

You can play about with the fruit content adding more or a different mixture of fruits. I often make it as a Christmas cake, prodding it with a knitting needle kept for the purpose and pouring spoonsful of the same alcohol as I put in the mixture, over it a few days before covering with marzipan and royal icing and decorating it suitably.

No copyright on this (except mine and I give you all permission to make it and give away the recipe) Hope husband enjoys it.

 

[Addie]

The list of ingredients is daunting. With prices rising at a rate that boggles the mind, it is a pricey dish to make. But it is mostly all the dried fruit that is put into the piece. Eachna can leave out the ginger in any recipe she ends up choosing. It won't affect the end result at all.

The hardest part of making this dish, whether it be the pudding or cake, is the mixing. You have to stir it by hand in order to get all that dried fruit mixed evenly. Using the mixer just makes the gluten develop even more and you end up with a tough cake.

Perhaps if Eachna would ask her husband to ask his mother for the recipe, she just may find her more receptive to the idea of sharing.

 

[Mad Cook]

What your mother-in-law refers to is a traditional English (and possibly Australian, I guess) Christmas dessert.

Traditional Christmas Pudding - English - Recipes - from Delia Online

Typically this is served after the big Christmas meal, and is often brought into the room set ablaze.

Christmas pudding is boiled not baked, it isn't a cake and is eaten hot with custard or rum or brandy sauce. It sounds as there may be a bit of confusion here (knowing mothers-in-law this may or may not be intentional).

I get very annoyed with the "my recipe is secret" attitude.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Christmas pudding is boiled not baked, it isn't a cake and is eaten hot with custard or rum or brandy sauce. It sounds as there may be a bit of confusion here (knowing mothers-in-law this may or may not be intentional).

I get very annoyed with the "my recipe is secret" attitude.

MC, I'm confused as to why you chose to quote my post. In the recipe link I posted the pudding is actually steamed, and was recommended to me by a good friend in West Yorkshire who tells me it's authentic. From what I understand it's also traditional to put it in a cupboard to age for several weeks.

 

[Addie]

Christmas pudding is boiled not baked, it isn't a cake and is eaten hot with custard or rum or brandy sauce. It sounds as there may be a bit of confusion here (knowing mothers-in-law this may or may not be intentional).

I get very annoyed with the "my recipe is secret" attitude.

Same here. Sounds like a very selfish person to me.

 

[Mad Cook]

Also meant to mention that there are really two types. One is a dark cake, the other a lighter cake.

I never liked the dark one when I was younger, to strong, bitter or whatever. But did like the white cake style, more like a pound cake.

Truth to tell I don't remember which my recipe is. Looking it up now...

The darker cake often has black treacle (molasses?) in it which is nasty (although some people like it.

 

[Mad Cook]

I'm American and my husband is Australian.

My husband loves fruitcake. I loathe it and find it somewhat incomprehensible.

However, he is incapable of finding a commercial version of a fruitcake that he likes. I tried asking my Mother-in-Law for her recipe, but she's refused to share it. All I know is she soaked it in some sort of alcohol for about a month, and she bought assorted small jars of candied fruit peel. And she called it "Christmas pud". Oh, and I learned my husband doesn't like ginger, so the fruitcake probably shouldn't have ginger in it.

I'm at my wit's end...because...I know nothing about fruitcakes and so I have no context for what's "good" or "bad" in them.

In my recipe this rigmarole is obviated by the boiling up of the fruit, etc.

A "good" fruit cake is the one you and your family like and a "bad" one isn't. Incidentally, I've never seen a fruit cake recipe that included ginger. I did put some in once as an experiment but I didn't like it very much.

 

[Mad Cook]

The list of ingredients is daunting. With prices rising at a rate that boggles the mind, it is a pricey dish to make. But it is mostly all the dried fruit that is put into the piece. Eachna can leave out the ginger in any recipe she ends up choosing. It won't affect the end result at all.

The hardest part of making this dish, whether it be the pudding or cake, is the mixing. You have to stir it by hand in order to get all that dried fruit mixed evenly. Using the mixer just makes the gluten develop even more and you end up with a tough cake.

Perhaps if Eachna would ask her husband to ask his mother for the recipe, she just may find her more receptive to the idea of sharing.

When you consider that a fruit cake keeps well and it's very filling so you don't eat a lot at a time, it isn't all that expensive. My mother's often lasted nearly to Easter with us nibbling away at it at regular intervals. She used an old recipe that was also used for wedding cakes. Traditionally, the top tier of the wedding cake was saved to use as the christening cake for the first baby so it would have to keep for at least 9 months (officially that is).

An old friend of my grandmother, who made fabulous fruit cakes, used to mix the ingredients with her (clean) hands. Much easier than using a spoon.

 

[Dawgluver]

In my recipe this rigmarole is obviated by the boiling up of the fruit, etc.

A "good" fruit cake is the one you and your family like and a "bad" one isn't. Incidentally, I've never seen a fruit cake recipe that included ginger. I did put some in once as an experiment but I didn't like it very much.

Mad Cook, I really like the sound of your recipe. Back when I was in high school, I used to make a huge FC, it took much longer to bake than the recipe directions stated. Yours sounds similar to what I made.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I grew up eating fruitcake similar to the one Mad Cook describes and it is wonderful. My problem is that the cost of the ingredients is so high that it just is not practical for me to bother making one. I find that these fruitcakes are just as good as the ones that I grew up with and no work, they will even slice it for you.

https://www.collinstreet.com/pages/online_bakery/all_deluxe_fruitcakes

 

[Mad Cook]

MC, I'm confused as to why you chose to quote my post. In the recipe link I posted the pudding is actually steamed, and was recommended to me by a good friend in West Yorkshire who tells me it's authentic. From what I understand it's also traditional to put it in a cupboard to age for several weeks.

Umm, yes?

For "boiled" read "steamed". and yes it is stored to mature. Traditionally it's made on "Stir up Sunday" the last Sunday in November (called that because in the Church of England the collect (prayer) of the day begins "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people....."

IIRC when saying that Christmas pudding and Christmas cake are not the same thing I was pointing out that the OP's M-I-L may have been deliberately obtuse but calling it "Christmas pudd". Some M-I-L's do not like sharing with daughters-in-law.

(PS BTW, if you ever speak to a Lancashire man (or woman), don't make the mistake of suggesting a Yorkshireman knows anything (or vice versa) - massacres have been started over less! You're OK with me, though, I'm a Cheshire Cheese )

 

[Dawgluver]

I'm wondering if taking one of the premades, like the Collinstreet as Aunt Bea mentioned, or the ones I'd order from the Trappist monks for Mom, and soaking it in rum or brandy for a few weeks would give the same effect the OP's DH is looking for.

 

[Steve Kroll]

...BTW, if you ever speak to a Lancashire man (or woman), don't make the mistake of suggesting a Yorkshireman knows anything (or vice versa) - massacres have been started over less!

Actually, I believe he is a transplanted Geordie, having grown up around Newcastle. But that might possibly be deemed even worse than being a Yorkshireman.

 

[dragnlaw]

Traditionally, the top tier of the wedding cake was saved to use as the christening cake for the first baby so it would have to keep for at least 9 months (officially that is).

We have a saying around here... "the first baby can come anytime, the second one always takes 9 months"

What was really funny, my first was born in the 1st week of my 7th month- (or 1st week of the third trimester, however you look at it) she was barely 2 lbs... we had some good laughs over that!