ISO TNT White Fruitcake

[SillyOldBear]

Good morning all,

I'm looking for a good white fruitcake recipe. I have found some on the internet, but I hesitate to make the significant investment on the ingredients, on something less than TNT. I've also seen a couple here on DC. One of them suggested pound cake with the added fruit. Has anyone else tried that?

I know a woman who makes the most unbelievably good White Fruitcake. It is loaded with nuts, fruits, and only lightly touched with liquor. But she will not share her recipe. So I want to make my own this year.

This fruitcake that she makes has a cake base that is very firm, and on the edges, almost like a cake-y cookie. The inside part of the cake is still very firm, but a little more like cake. Like most fruitcakes, there is only enough 'cake' to hold the fruit and nuts together. To be honest, it looks similar to the cake pictured in Uncle Bob's post - http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f41/fruit-cake-68342.html

Thanks very much - and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

SOB

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Try this one, I love a fresh white fruitcake, too:

http://www.food.com/recipe/lindas-aussie-christmas-fruitcake-199105

 

[LPBeier]

I recently made my mother's fruit cake for the first time since she passed away. It is everything you describe and more. It actually has been passed down from my Dad's grandmother and so I wanted to make it for him this year.

Nona's White Fruitcake
1/2 lb butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup pastry flour (not self rising)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 lb glace yellow pineapple (each ring = 2 oz)
1/2 lb green glace cherries
1/2 lb red glace cherries
1 lb sultana raisins

If pineapple is in rings, cut each into 6 chunks. Leave cherries whole.

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Mix 1/2 cup with the fruit. Add the rest gradually to egg mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Add floured fruit and mix by hand until well combined.

(Now here is the challenging part). The original recipe says to bake at 325 for 2 hours. It says nothing about pan sizes or preparation. I remembered that my Mom used three different sized round pans and 2 loaf pans but she made several batches at once. I made double this and divided it amongst 8 small foil pans so I could give the cakes away. They were done to perfection in 40 minutes but were only 2" high and about 6" square. Mom, I believe, greased the pans and lined them with waxed paper. I just greased them and they were fine.

Whatever pans you use, keep a close eye on it. You can use the toothpick test in the center, but the main thing is that the edges are golden.

Oh, Mom often halved the pineapple and added the same amount of candied apricots. I did that and also exchanged half the raisins for dried cranberries.

 

[SillyOldBear]

Fiona - Thank you! - I did have that one. Have you tried making it?

Beier, Thank you! -I like the sound of your recipe. I noticed that there is no liquor or nuts in this one. Being that you have tasted it, what do you think about using brandy on top of it? Or would bourbon work better? Do you think pecans or walnuts would work as an addition?

I have another recipe called Mrs. Harvey's. Has anyone tried that? It was apparently some award winning recipe from a newspaper contest from years ago.

SOB

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Fiona - Thank you! - I did have that one. Have you tried making it?SOB

Yes, that is the one I bake when I want fruitcake! I had an Aussie boss who made it, but would not give me his recipe...when I went searching this was the recipe that most closely matched his recipe. I serve it with Hard Sauce.

 

[LPBeier]

Thank you! -I like the sound of your recipe. I noticed that there is no liquor or nuts in this one. Being that you have tasted it, what do you think about using brandy on top of it? Or would bourbon work better? Do you think pecans or walnuts would work as an addition?
SOB

The beauty of this cake is the huge pieces of fruit and the light but almost dry texture of the cake. I can't really answer your questions because I grew up with it made this way. I think any liquor might change the texture and overpower the flavours of cake and fruit. But that is just MHO. As for nuts, the only thing I would suggest is if you are using them, substitute them for something else as I did with the apricots and cranberries. Let me know if you try it.

LPB

 

[babetoo]

my mom had a lovely white fruit cake recipe. unfortunately it died with her. was called "maude's cake" had coconut and pineapple if i recall correctly. anyone ever baked one like that? if so would love the recipe.

 

[SillyOldBear]

Yes, that is the one I bake when I want fruitcake! I had an Aussie boss who made it, but would not give me his recipe...when I went searching this was the recipe that most closely matched his recipe. I serve it with Hard Sauce.

Fiona - is the coffee taste very strong in this? This recipe is the only one I've seen that uses coffee.

SOB

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Fiona - is the coffee taste very strong in this? This recipe is the only one I've seen that uses coffee.

SOB

No, it's mostly for color.

 

[LPBeier]

No, it's mostly for color.

So, then, it's not a white fruitcake?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

So, then, it's not a white fruitcake?

No not quite But it does diguise the leakage from the prunes.

 

[LPBeier]

No not quite But it does diguise the leakage from the prunes.

I have no objection to eating prunes (I love them actually), but I think I will stick to my Great-Grandmother's true White Fruit Cake.

 

[babetoo]

I have no objection to eating prunes (I love them actually), but I think I will stick to my Great-Grandmother's true White Fruit Cake.

recipe please laurie

thanks
babe

 

[LPBeier]

recipe please laurie

thanks
babe

it's actually the recipe at the top of this thread, "Nona's White Fruitcake".

 

[babetoo]

it's actually the recipe at the top of this thread, "Nona's White Fruitcake".

ok will take a look, thank you.
babe

 

[SillyOldBear]

LPB -

I hope you don't mind - but I took your recipe and another recipe that looked good, and I combined the two. I reduced the vanilla to 1 tsp, and added 1 tsp of lemon extract. I kept the butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, and flour the same ( I liked the combo of the cake and ap flour), but I added an extra egg. I cut down on the fruit, so I could add 3 cups of nuts (combo of whole pecans and walnuts, and chopped pecans). I totally forgot about the sultanas.. (OOPS). The resulting fruitcake was very yummy, and very close to the texture that I was hoping for. If it works, I'm enclosing a picture of one of the loaves. I made one standard and 3 small loaves. They don't rise much, so next time I know I can put more in the pan. Also, I cooked them at 300, for 2 1/2 hours for the large loaf, and 1 1/2 hours for the small ones. And just for the heckofit - I took one small loaf, wrapped it in cheesecloth, and wet it with brandy - just to see what happens. I'll let you know in a month.

All in all it turned out very well. It's my first ever fruitcake! So -now the question - since I combined the recipes, can I give it a new name?

Thanks LPB and Thanks to all who responded! I love this board!

SOB

 

[PrincessFiona60]

All in all it turned out very well. It's my first ever fruitcake! So -now the question - since I combined the recipes, can I give it a new name?

Thanks LPB and Thanks to all who responded! I love this board!

SOB

Absolutely, it's yours to name and remember to post it!