I've never made fruitcake before but it's been a part of my family heritage for as far back and I can remember. My father's mother made a dark one as black as tar and looked a lot like papa's chewing tobacco. My mom always made a light one that was always a part of the menagerie of Christmas baking that delighted me. Mom has been gone a long time now and grandma even longer and over the years fruitcake drifted off my radar, breaking the chain of that family tradition.
For some reason, I thought they were hard to make, so I shied away from even giving it a try. For years, I've been bringing home the supermarket ones to my hubby who loves fruitcake. He sprits them with rum so how bad could they be although I always felt guilty about him eating that much mass produced, factory made cake. I always cook and bake from scratch so I felt a bit ashamed about it even though I was the enabler bringing them home. So a couple of days ago I declared that I was going to look up a recipe on the internet and bite the bullet. The very next day I accidentally came across my mother's recipe for her light fruit cake. I don't know the origin of it, perhaps it was passed down by her mom, I like to think that anyway. Coincidence? I think not. Thank-you mom for guiding me to this lost recipe.
So I gathered the ingredients and created the magic today. It was so easy and quick to pull together the ingredients, a bit of stirring, add the fruit and it was in the oven. The smell wafting in the air evoked fond memories of days gone by. They baked up perfectly and fell from the pans with ease to cool on the rack. We went for a walk on the beach and came home to coffee and the first trial slices of the cake. We both gave it the nod. I think perhaps I might go a bit lighter on the sugar next time, not enough to mess with the balance of the ingredients, but two cups seem a bit excessive and perhaps a bit more of the cherries and walnuts. The rum will help sweeten it anyway.
The recipe called for a tube pan but I also had two loaf pans that I got from my mom's pantry after she passed away so I thought they were more appropriate for her recipe. The pans are approximately 11" l x 4" w x 2 1/2" h. ENJOY!
For some reason, I thought they were hard to make, so I shied away from even giving it a try. For years, I've been bringing home the supermarket ones to my hubby who loves fruitcake. He sprits them with rum so how bad could they be although I always felt guilty about him eating that much mass produced, factory made cake. I always cook and bake from scratch so I felt a bit ashamed about it even though I was the enabler bringing them home. So a couple of days ago I declared that I was going to look up a recipe on the internet and bite the bullet. The very next day I accidentally came across my mother's recipe for her light fruit cake. I don't know the origin of it, perhaps it was passed down by her mom, I like to think that anyway. Coincidence? I think not. Thank-you mom for guiding me to this lost recipe.
So I gathered the ingredients and created the magic today. It was so easy and quick to pull together the ingredients, a bit of stirring, add the fruit and it was in the oven. The smell wafting in the air evoked fond memories of days gone by. They baked up perfectly and fell from the pans with ease to cool on the rack. We went for a walk on the beach and came home to coffee and the first trial slices of the cake. We both gave it the nod. I think perhaps I might go a bit lighter on the sugar next time, not enough to mess with the balance of the ingredients, but two cups seem a bit excessive and perhaps a bit more of the cherries and walnuts. The rum will help sweeten it anyway.
The recipe called for a tube pan but I also had two loaf pans that I got from my mom's pantry after she passed away so I thought they were more appropriate for her recipe. The pans are approximately 11" l x 4" w x 2 1/2" h. ENJOY!
Marjorie’s Light Fruit Cake
1 Cup butter – room temperature
2 Cups brown sugar
4 Eggs – room temperature
1 Cup crushed pineapple (do not drain)
3 Cups flour (reserve 1/2 cup to flour fruit)
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 lb. white raisins
1/4 lb. Mixed Peel (orange, lemon, citron)
1/2 lb. Glace Fruit Mix - mixed colours
1 Cup walnut pieces
Tube Pan greased and floured
Bake 325* oven for 1 ½ Hours
1 Cup butter – room temperature
2 Cups brown sugar
4 Eggs – room temperature
1 Cup crushed pineapple (do not drain)
3 Cups flour (reserve 1/2 cup to flour fruit)
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 lb. white raisins
1/4 lb. Mixed Peel (orange, lemon, citron)
1/2 lb. Glace Fruit Mix - mixed colours
1 Cup walnut pieces
Tube Pan greased and floured
Bake 325* oven for 1 ½ Hours
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