In the realm of culinary traditions, few desserts hold a place as cherished and nostalgic as grandma's prized blue ribbon fruit cake. This delectable treat, with its moist, dense crumb, vibrant colors, and symphony of flavors, has captured the hearts and taste buds of generations, earning its place as a beloved symbol of family, tradition, and the enduring spirit of home cooking. Whether gracing the table during festive gatherings or savored as a simple indulgence, grandma's fruit cake is a culinary treasure that has stood the test of time. As you embark on this culinary journey, let us explore the secrets behind this remarkable dessert, uncovering the techniques, ingredients, and stories that make grandma's fruit cake a truly extraordinary experience.
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GRANDMA'S PRIZED BLUE RIBBON FRUIT CAKE
Grandma Little was a wedding cake maker and did so until the age of 76. I have been entrusted with her handwritten recipe collection. In it I have found her personal fruitcake recipe (dated 1940) and believed to be her mother's recipe. This cake has won countless awards and was used for every wedding cake made (over 400). I share this with you and in so doing remember Grandma Little, a woderful woman who loved baking as much as I do. She is dearly missed, with this recipe, her memory lives on in my home.
Provided by cookingpompom
Categories Dessert
Time 4h20m
Yield 2 cakes
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Chop all the dried fruit and nuts. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter, sugar and honey.
- Mix the rum, orange juice and eggsin a bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients alternatley with the sifted dried ingredients. Stiring well after each addition.
- Add the fruit and nuts. Stir well to combine.
- Pour into two 9 inch round cake tins or one large 30xm square tin, greased and well lined up to the rim(s).
- Bake at 130oC for 4 hours, turning once.
- Cool in tin.
GREAT GRANDMA PEARL'S ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH PEACHES AND CREAM
My great-grandmother Pearl was famous for her angel food cake. She would enter baking contests with this recipe and always took home the blue ribbon. Among her bounty of prizes? A KitchenAid stand mixer (which came in very handy for this recipe, considering she used to beat the egg whites by hand) and a new stove! Not to mention a mighty fine sash and a ribbon proclaiming her the queen of cakes.
Provided by Katie Lee Biegel
Categories dessert
Time 2h40m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, until smooth and glossy, about 4 minutes.
- Transfer the egg whites to a large, wide bowl. Using a fine sieve, gradually sift the flour over the egg whites, gently folding in the flour with a spatula. Fold in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Scrape the batter into a 10-inch angel food cake pan. Using a table knife, slice through the cake batter several times to release any large air bubbles. Tap the cake pan once or twice on a flat surface. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 35 minutes longer, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert the pan onto the neck of a wine bottle and let cool completely.
- To loosen the cake, run a thin-bladed knife around the side and tube of the pan. Unmold the cake and transfer to a platter. Cut the cake into wedges and drizzle with some of the reserved syrup. Serve with the sliced peaches and whipped cream.
GRANDMA LEACH'S FRUITCAKE
My grandmother and mother made these cakes for years. They are moist but don't contain eggs. Applesauce is the secret ingredient. I sold these at bake sales for years and we had many customers who returned every year just to get one.
Provided by GAREYSGAL
Categories Desserts Cakes Holiday Cake Recipes
Time 1h10m
Yield 48
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch tube pan and one 9x5 inch loaf pan.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves into a large bowl. Stir in the applesauce and oil, then mix in the raisins, dates, mixed fruit and 2 cups of walnuts. Pour into the prepared pans. Pans should be about 3/4 full if using mini pans, or an assortment.
- Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the crown of the cake comes out clean.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 209.7 calories, Carbohydrate 34.8 g, Fat 7.7 g, Fiber 1.8 g, Protein 2.4 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 131.9 mg, Sugar 16.2 g
GRANDMA'S BOILED FRUITCAKE
I am posting this for myself, as I only make this once a year - the recipe has often moved since I made it last (or I forgot where I put it). This recipe has been in our family for over 100 years (5 generations), it takes 2 days make and is rich and moist. As this fruit cake contains no alcohol it does not need time to "cure".
Provided by cookingpompom
Categories Dessert
Time P2DT2h
Yield 1 cake, 24 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Day one.
- Mix the first 11 ingredients into a large heavy based pot, place over a medium heat. Stir and bring to the boil (don't leave it alone in case it burns at the base).
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, you can leave it alone for this part.
- Turn the heat off and add the orange juice, stir until well combined and leave overnight to soak. Place a lid over the top to stop moisture evaporating through the night.
- Day 2.
- In the cold pot with the pre-soaked fruit mixture add the remaining ingredients and stir well, be warned - you will need some serious elbow grease as the mixture will be very thick!
- In either 2 large and deep loaf tins or a deep 20x20cm grease and line the sides and base 4 times with brown paper (I use brown paper bags that I have sliced open). Have the paper create a rim that goes up and above the tin. For a square tin you will need around 8 paper bags.
- Place the cake mix into the prepared tin/s. Bang the cake tin on the floor about 10 times to get all the air bubbles out.
- Using a wet hand, smooth the cake to make it flat. At this stage you can choose to decorate the top with blanched almonds or not.
- Place into a cold oven, turn the oven up to 250 degrees F/150 degrees C for 3 1/2 - 4 hours for 1 large cake or 2 1/2 - 3 hours for 2 loaves. Rotate the cakes at least once during cooking - even it you have a fan forced oven. Cake is cooked when a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin, cake is best eaten the day after baking.
- Store in an airtight container for upto 5-7 days depending on your humidity.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 420.4, Fat 16.4, SaturatedFat 6.3, Cholesterol 57.5, Sodium 131.7, Carbohydrate 68.3, Fiber 4.1, Sugar 45.5, Protein 6.3
GRANDMA LEONE'S FRUIT CAKE
Don't get this cake confused with the traditional fruit cake. It is so much more. This recipe has been handed down for 3 generations and I now want to share it with all of you. Don't get nervous with all the ingredients. Everything gets hand-mixed in 1 great big bowl.
Provided by Debbie Ries
Categories Desserts Cakes Holiday Cake Recipes
Time 2h10m
Yield 20
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 8x8-inch baking pans.
- Bring water and raisins to a boil in a saucepan; cook until raisins are plump, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool raisins; reserve raisin water.
- Mix 3 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Place pecans and 2 tablespoons flour in a resealable plastic bag; close and shake bag until pecans are coated. Pour pecans into a colander and shake off excess flour.
- Whisk sugar, oil, eggs, and cooled raisin water together in a bowl; fold in candied fruit. Stir flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, into sugar mixture until fully incorporated; fold in raisins and pecans. Fill the prepared pans a little over half full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); bake until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 more hour.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 620.5 calories, Carbohydrate 77.7 g, Cholesterol 37.2 mg, Fat 34.5 g, Fiber 4.5 g, Protein 5.8 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 465.4 mg, Sugar 28.4 g
GRANDMA BETTIE'S LIGHT FRUIT CAKE
An easy light fruit cake that my mother made most years. Try substituting fruits that you like! To me it's the taste and smell of Christmas.
Provided by Leanne Mentz
Categories Desserts Fruit Dessert Recipes Cherry Dessert Recipes
Time P14DT1h45m
Yield 20
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line two loaf pans with parchment paper.
- Coat cherries, raisins, almonds, and pineapple with 1 cup flour.
- Beat sugar, butter, and eggs together until creamy. Sift remaining flour with baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture; stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Fold in the fruit and almond mixture. Spoon batter into the prepared pans and spread evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Wrap cakes tightly and let age in a cool place for 2 to 4 weeks.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 429.2 calories, Carbohydrate 59.4 g, Cholesterol 92.4 mg, Fat 19.4 g, Fiber 1.6 g, Protein 6.3 g, SaturatedFat 9.5 g, Sodium 187.2 mg, Sugar 33.2 g
Tips:
- Mise en place: Before you start baking, measure out all of your ingredients and have them ready to go. This will help you stay organized and prevent mistakes.
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients you use, the better your fruitcake will be. Look for fresh, ripe fruit, and use real butter and eggs.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing the batter will make your fruitcake tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the fruitcake in a low oven: A low oven temperature will help the fruitcake bake evenly and prevent it from drying out.
- Wrap the fruitcake in cheesecloth: Wrapping the fruitcake in cheesecloth will help it retain moisture and prevent it from drying out.
- Age the fruitcake for at least 2 weeks: Aging the fruitcake will allow the flavors to develop and mellow.
Conclusion:
Grandma's Prized Blue Ribbon Fruit Cake is a delicious and festive holiday treat. With its rich, fruity flavor and moist, tender texture, this fruitcake is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So next time you're looking for a special dessert to serve at a holiday gathering, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!
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