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Recipes

Christmas - White Fruitcake

Posted under: Recipe Archive

From Hot Off the Griddle #33.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
5 eggs, well beaten
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups almonds, blanched and halved
1 cup finely chopped candied citron
1/2 cup finely chopped candied orange peel
1 cup finely chopped candied lemon peel
1 cup dried apricots, cut in thin strips
1 cup glacé red or green cherries, halved
2 pounds seedless white Australian raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped shredded coconut
1 1/4 cups undrained crushed pineapple
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

METHOD

Grease four loaf pans (approx 9 × 5 × 3 inches); line with two layers heavy brown paper, greasing top layer well.
Cream butter until fluffy; gradually cream in sugar.
When fluffy and well-blended, add well-beaten eggs, a little at a time, along with three tablespoons flour.
Beat thoroughly after each addition.
Combine one-third cup flour, halved almonds, citron, candied orange and lemon peel, apricots, halved cherries, raisins and coconut, tossing so fruit is coated with flour.
Combine crushed pineapple, lemon rind and juice.
Preheat oven to 275 deg. F.
Sift together 1-2/3 cups flour, baking powder and salt.
Blend floured fruit into creamed mixture.
Gradually add pineapple mixture, then sifted dry ingredients, stirring just enough to sufficiently blend ingredients.
Spoon batter into prepared pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Then increase oven heat to 300F and continue baking another 1 3/4 hours.
Keep a shallow pan of water on bottom of oven during baking period; check periodically as water will evaporate.
Baked cakes, once removed from oven, should be allowed to stand in pans, on wire racks for several hours to cool thoroughly and set.
If a beverage of any kind is poured over the cakes, they should not be removed from pans for at least 24 hours.
When thoroughly cool, invert pan on wire racks; remove paper.
To store cakes, wrap in cheese cloth that has been dipped in brandy, sauterne, dry sherry or apple juice; then overwrap in heavy waxed paper or aluminum foil; store in cool place.

Makes four 1 1/2 lb. cakes. Will keep at least 3 months.