Thursday, December 4, 2008

Fruitcake


I Like Fruitcake
in almost all of its varieties, Panettone included. Unfortunately, I am off to a late start this year.
Each year my mother in law gives me a fruit cake from one of the local monasteries for my birthday, and each fall I bake a cake, while nursing a heritage cake in the fridge. I haven't made this years yet, and its starting to get me down.
James Villas in his book Stalking the Green Fairy has one of the better recipes and background stories about baking and saving fruitcakes I have yet encountered. His tale will bring even the most ardent fc hater into the fold.
Problem is, I'm bored with my cake. Anyone have a great family recipe they want to share?
Toad

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

NO: Dried pineapple, fake color cherries or those green things.

YES: Candied crystallized ginger, dried cranberries, dates, pecans, walnuts and some port wine in the batter.
And, of course, your choice of spirits (brandy, rum, etc.) for curing the cake.

Must bake slow and low - 225 for 2.5 hours or longer. 'Tis the season ! !

Martha said...

I'm a fruitcake lover too. But I'm not a fruitcake baker. I prefer one of those Monestary ones or one from Corsicana, Texas.

Free Kansas said...

You're a sick man Toad.

News Readin' Wife said...

My grandmother makes miniature fruitcakes every Christmas. They are pretty tasty! Will track down recipe for you...

Mom on the Run said...

I've never had a home baked one, only that one miserable thing in a tin that just gets passed from person to person.

Pigtown-Design said...

You missed "stir up" sunday. it's usually the last weekend in november and the sunday reading is "stir up our hearts, oh lord" and that's when you make the fruit cake.

i use the recipe on the waitrose website. you have to do the conversions, but it's good!