'Tis the season to bake and indulge in delicious treats, and the traditional Christmas keeping cake is no exception. With its dense, fruity texture and long shelf life, it's a beloved indulgence that adds warmth to any holiday gathering. However, for those who prefer a less fruit-forward take on this classic, we've gathered a collection of recipes that offer a delightful balance of flavors and textures. From variations that incorporate nuts, spices, and chocolate to lighter versions with reduced fruit content, these recipes are sure to please even the most discerning palate.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE
It's a shame that fruitcake as a species gets such a bad rap. With its two key ingredients--rum and butter--it ought to be a hit. This recipe includes dried fruit, instead of the glowing, candied stuff we've all learned to associate with fruitcake, and is less dense and more cake-like than many fruitcake recipes. It has become a favorite of my friends and family around the holidays (even the skeptical ones), and is delicious by itself, or covered with a layer of almond paste.
Provided by Karen Uffelman
Categories Desserts Specialty Dessert Recipes Liqueur Dessert Recipes Rum
Time P20DT6h57m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup rum for at least 24 hours. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 6x3-inch round pan or loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into butter and sugar in three batches, alternating with molasses and milk. Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum.
- Cut out one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake. Moisten cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin, and age for at least 10 weeks. If storing longer, douse with additional rum for every 10 weeks of storage.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 302.3 calories, Carbohydrate 33.3 g, Cholesterol 54.1 mg, Fat 14.8 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 7.8 g, Sodium 202.7 mg, Sugar 20.5 g
CHRISTMAS KEEPING CAKE (FRUITCAKE-LIKE, LESS FRUIT)
From "The Spirit of Christmas Book III," Leisure arts, 1989. Made it for 2009 Christmas party-delicious, and not too "fruity." People who don't like fruitcake loved it. It has the most delicious scent when you unwrap it that remains until the last slice is eaten. I believe it took mine no more than 2 hours to bake. Keep an eye on it, so the cake won't dry.
Provided by EURrosa1
Categories Winter
Time 3h
Yield 1 cake, 12-14 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolks until fluffy.
- Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk; beat it into eggs.
- Combine 2 1/2 cups flour with spices. Add to egg mixture, alternately with jam.
- Beat egg whites until almost stiff and fold into batter.
- Combine remaining flour with pecans, raisins and dates; fold into batter.
- Pour into well-greased and floured 10" tube pan. (I used bundt pan.). Bake at 300 F 3 to 3 1/3 hours (depends on oven). (NOTE: I believe it took mine no more than 2 hours to bake.) Place on wire rack until completely cool.
- Soak cheesecloth in liquor and wrap cake. Wrap with foil. Brush with more liquor every week, closing tight with foil. Let age 4-6 weeks in cool place.
MINI FRUITCAKES
Fruitcake always looked so festive to me but I did not like the hard citron fruit so I came up with my own recipe using dried fruits and nuts. I place these in Christmas themed petit fours paper cups and give them to neighbors and friends along with the many other cookies and candies I bake. These keep well in the freezer in an airtight container. Just thaw to room temperature and they taste fresh baked and moist. -Lisa McDermith, Highland, California
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 55m
Yield 2.5 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Preheat over to 350°. In a small saucepan, heat sherry, sugar and margarine until sugar is dissolved. Cool. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat egg and vanilla; stir into cooled sherry mixture until thoroughly combined. Add sherry mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened., In a large bowl, toss fruits and nuts to combine. Stir in batter. Fill 30 greased mini muffin cups with 1 tablespoon of mixture. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan 3-4 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 93 calories, Fat 2g fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 6mg cholesterol, Sodium 53mg sodium, Carbohydrate 17g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 1g protein.
NO-CANDIED-FRUIT FRUITCAKE
Minus the candied fruit, this traditional cake has a positively natural taste. For those who bake their Christmas giveaways ahead, it freezes beautifully, too.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 2h
Yield 2 fruitcakes.
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Add pecans, cherries, pineapple and dates; toss to coat. Beat eggs and orange juice; add to fruit mixture and mix well. Line two 9x5-in. loaf pans with foil and grease the foil. Pour fruit mixture into pans and press down. Bake at 300° for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans. Remove foil. Brush with corn syrup; cool completely.
Nutrition Facts :
EASY CAKELESS FRUITCAKE
For those who prefer fruits and nuts to batter, and very little work, this simple cake is appropriately named.
Provided by Marian Burros
Categories dessert
Time 1h15m
Yield 2 loaf pans
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl.
- Grease two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans and line with greased wax paper. Press the mixture firmly into the pans. Cover with buttered wax paper.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 and bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer. Cool the cakes on wire racks. Loosen around the sides with a spatula and invert on wire rack. While they are still warm, remove the wax paper carefully. Cool completely. Wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate.
- To serve, slice thickly with a very sharp knife. Cut slices into smaller pieces.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 326, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 51 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 63 milligrams, Sugar 43 grams
Tips:
- Use quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the cake will taste. Use fresh, ripe fruit, good-quality nuts, and high-quality spices.
- Don't be afraid to experiment: There are many different ways to make a Christmas keeping cake. Feel free to adjust the recipe to your own taste. You can add different fruits, nuts, and spices, or you can change the amount of sugar or spices used.
- Plan ahead: Christmas keeping cake takes time to make. Be sure to start the process well in advance of Christmas. The cake needs to be aged for at least 6 weeks, so it's best to start making it in October or November.
- Be patient: The aging process is essential for developing the cake's flavor and texture. Don't be tempted to cut into the cake before it's had time to age properly.
Conclusion:
Christmas keeping cake is a delicious and festive treat that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It's a great way to celebrate the holiday season and a wonderful gift to give to friends and family. With a little planning and effort, you can make a Christmas keeping cake that will be enjoyed for years to come.
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