All these fruitcake recipies are a myth. The truth is that there were only about 1000 fruitcakes ever made. And these 1000 have been circulated several times around the globe. They are received as gifts and immediately resent as gifts and immediately resent as gifts and immediately re… ad infinitum. On the rare occasion, one is stolen at the post office ( hard to believe "stolen " at the PO) and actually consumed so there are probably about 946 still in circulation.
Time to put a STOP to THAT. If you get one of those few remaining in circulation, remove from packaging, wrap with many layers of cheesecloth, place into a Tupperware container, soak liberally with a fine bourbon or cognac, close container and refrigerate for… AND THEN, repackage in suitable container and send to me. Address will be provided posthaste.
Mark
PS: Besides the apologies for “misforuming” this post, I forgot to mention Rum ( Myers Dark). Thanks Grizz.
I’d rather be in Wyoming!
[This message has been edited by Marco (edited 05 December 2005).]
Both my mother and grandmother would start baking their fruitcakes Thanksgiving week to give them time to “mature”. After they were baked they would be wrapped in cheesecloth and liberally doused with rum and brandy.
Other than the name, today’s commercially made product bears little resemblance to the fruitcakes from my grandmother’s kitchen.
My Father in-law used to bury at the end of the garden; the fruit cake his outlaws would make, and bring around every Christmas.
That was until one day, when my then very young wife to be, turned to her father on receipt of the annual cake and asked in front of the presenting party; “Daddy, will we be burying this with all of the other cakes Granny brings us?”. I think the tradition ended that year.
My mother used to make a fruit cake in October and then spent the time running to Christmas bathing it in brandy. Used to easily get through a bottle and a half. Most of it even went onto the cake! Boy I miss my Mum's fruit cake.
------------------
JME
@===----?----?----?
Member of B.A.S.S [url=http://www.ukbass.com:6ecad]http://www.ukbass.com[/url:6ecad]
[This message has been edited by JME (edited 05 December 2005).]
My mom used to ply her fruitcakes with several layers of cheesecloth soaked in dark rum . She baked cakes and cookies for several families in our clan every year . It was so gooood , not at all like these pallid imitation fruitcakes you get in the stores at Christmas time now a days .
Oh and Marco , You can’t really believe I or anyone else is going to pour the better part of a bottle of cognac or fine bourbon onto a cake instead of drinking it ourselves ? If I were to do that You could truly call Me a fruitcake .Cheers buddy thanks for bringing back a memory of my Mom .
I have not eaten any fruit cake since my mother quit making them. Her receipe went with her to the grave. Which only proves that you can take some things with you.
Out of curiosity, does anyone under the age of 60 make these things anymore?
Crotalus : You really do have to taste some of the “real” Stuff , the store bought stuff aint even close . It needs the Brandy , Rum , Bourbon ,Cognac etc . for the real aged Christmas cake taste . My mom used to make me a special one with tons of whole glazed cherries cause my sisters didn’t like them . This year for the first time in probably 20 years my wife is making her mothers recipe for Christmas cake with whole cherries (I am so spoiled ) . It calls for a 1/2 bottle of Orange brandy to soak the layers of cheesecloth in . You re soak it every week or so with 1/4 cup of brandy . I get to have a nip each time I go to the cellar and soak the cake . My wife has limited me to just once a week cause I was drowning the poor thing . We get to eat it after Christmas on boxing day . It is a huge treat especially after 20 years absence .
I think the last fruit cake my mom ever sent me was when I was in Vietnam. I can’t remember if I ate it or not. But I’m sure I passed it around to the other guys.
anglerdave,
Remember the fruit cakes we used to get in our C-Rations? Had to soak them in MO-GAS to soften them up. Never did eat one but they really burn good. Keeps a body warm on those long, cold nights. Burn the cake and drink the booze.
Alright already, y’all got my buds a flowin. I’m going out and get the stuff to make a fruitcake. The posted recipe looks like $50.00 should do it.
Hey LF, talk about power of suggestion, so help me, I got a whiff of your oven when I read your post.
I have to admit, my original post must have been a fabrication. There ARE those who love the stuff and fruitcakes .
Mark
The fruitcake is out of the oven. It was still hot when we cut one of the little loaves with the electric knife. It is absolutely wonderful! My Brit neighbor requested almond paste as a frosting for hers, and I haven’t tried that yet…it may not last long enough for her even to have any
I did use Bill’s recipe exactly, but I cut it in half, it still made 7 small loaf pans, (six and a half now) I understand we are supposed to let in ripen - don’t think there is any chance of that at all.
Try it if you like this sort of thing, it was fun to make, and having the house smell like fruitcake for a couple of hours was great.
(Almost like Chirstmas!)
LF, Pretty much the same as Bills. Used to include some coarsely chopped orange and lemon rind. Biting into the glac? cherries was always a highlight. There were no nuts in it, although the top was finished with sliced toasted almonds and dusted with icing sugar (after maturing).
Unfortunately my wife does not like fruitcake (perhaps psychological damage from her youth) so it is no longer a tradition in my family. I should get off my lazy rear and make one myself.
My family didn’t use any hooch at all in their fruitcakes. They put the brandy in what we called “Plum Pudding”. Some recipes I’ve seen are closer to plum pudding than fruit cake. You’re really taking chances if you make this stuff. (Cholesterol and worse) We ate a very small portion along with a brandy sauce after holliday dinners.
Had to be careful with the candles burning brightly on the table though. If one touched the plum pudding there would be a teriffic and violent explosion followed by a nasty fire!
Another myth destroyed. I had it on good authority that all fruitcakes had been confiscated by the Department of Homeland Security and transported, under cover of night, to a hazardous waste dump somewhere in Nevada. At least I hoped it was true…
I’m makes ours today.