Fruitcake Sauce Recipes

THE BEST FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, currants, apricots, figs, prunes, dates, walnuts, pecans, orange zest, lemon zest, candied ginger, pumpkin pie spice and cloves in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add 1 cup of the brandy, orange liqueur and molasses and stir to coat. Cover and set aside to macerate overnight. (Alternatively, cover the bowl and microwave 2 minutes, or until very hot. Leave covered and let sit until almost all the liquid has been absorbed into the fruit and nuts, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and line each with 2 pieces of parchment, one lengthwise and one crosswise, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the soaked fruit mixture and toss to coat. Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium-low and beat in the flour mixture until the batter is blended and smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until all the fruit is coated in batter.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, the tops spring back slightly when pressed and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove each cake from its pan using the parchment overhang and place on the rack to cool completely.
• To store, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic and then foil. The wrapped fruitcakes can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

FRUIT COCKTAIL CAKE WITH BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, nuts, raisins, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, beat egg; add fruit cocktail. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a greased and floured 8-in. round baking pan. Bake at 325° for 55-60 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired. For sauce, combine sugar, butter and milk in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Serve warm over the cake. Refrigerate leftover sauce.

SPICED RUM FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Line a 9x5-in. loaf pan with parchment, letting ends extend up sides of pan; grease and set aside., In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the walnuts, dates, cherries and mangoes; toss to coat. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar and 1/2 cup rum until blended; stir into fruit mixture. Transfer to prepared pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Slowly pour remaining rum over cake. Cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool, dry place overnight. Cut with a serrated knife.

GOOD FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Butter two 9-inch springform pans. Line with parchment paper, and butter again. Heat oven to 275 degrees.
• Coarsely chop dates, prunes and pineapple. Combine fruit in a bowl with cherries and orange peel. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Sift this over fruit. With your hands, toss to coat.
• In medium bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Beat in sugar, then almond extract. Pour over fruit. With wooden spoon, mix well. Fold in pistachios, almonds, pecans and walnuts, and mix until coated with batter.
• Divide mixture between pans. Using your hands, pack batter firmly and fill in open spaces. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until tops of cakes look dry but not brown. When cakes are done, transfer to cooling racks. Let stand for 5 minutes, then release springform and peel off parchment paper on sides.
• While cakes are still hot, brush lightly with corn syrup. Let cool 30 minutes, then spoon Armagnac on top. When completely cool, remove cakes from pan base and peel off parchment paper on bottom. If not eating right away, wrap fruitcakes in plastic wrap. They will keep for two months in refrigerator. If storing, sprinkle with more Armagnac an hour before serving.

MOIST APPLESAUCE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; add 1 cup flour. Stir to coat. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar; add eggs and mix well. Add the applesauce and vanilla extract. Combine the baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and remaining flour; stir into applesauce mixture. Stir in fruit mixture. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. , Bake at 325° for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Combine fruit and nuts. In another bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Pour over fruit and nuts; stir to coat. , Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 2 hours. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool place. Bring to room temperature before serving; slice with a serrated knife.

APPLESAUCE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Grease a 10 inch tube pan. Line bottom with parchment paper and grease again.
• In large bowl, cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add eggs and blend well.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Combine 1/2 cup of flour with nuts, raisins, dates and 1/2 cup cherries, stir until coated. Set aside.
• Add remaining 2 3/4 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt to egg mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened, then beat 2 minutes on medium speed.
• Fold fruit and nut mixture and applesauce into batter. Pour batter into a 10 inch tube pan. Arrange cherry halves and pecans on top.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 1hour and 15 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean. Cool upright in pan 5 minutes. Turn upright onto wire rack and remove pan and parchment paper. Cool completely.

HARD SAUCE FOR CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 15 minutes until smooth, thickened and clear. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and butter. Serve warm over cake.

ITALIAN FRUITCAKES WITH FRANGELICO CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• For cakes:
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter and flour 12 miniature Bundt molds or 12 oversize muffin cups (each about 1-cup capacity). Toss nuts, figs, chocolate and ginger in medium bowl to blend.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1/4 cup Frangelico and orange peel (mixture may look curdled). Sift both flours and salt over batter; mix in. Stir in nut and fruit mixture.
• Divide batter among molds. Bake cakes until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 minutes (about 55 minutes if using muffin cups). Turn cakes out onto racks; brush with 1/4 cup liqueur. Cool cakes completely.
• Cut out twelve 10-inch cheesecloth squares. Pour 1 1/2 cups liqueur into small bowl. Dip 1 square into liqueur; squeeze out some but not all liqueur. Wrap 1 cake in liqueur-soaked cheesecloth, then in foil. Repeat dipping and wrapping with remaining cakes, adding more liqueur if needed. Chill at least 1 week and up to 2 weeks. Bring cakes to room temperature before serving.
• For sauce:
• Stir chocolate, 2/3 cup cream and liqueur in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and sauce is smooth.
• Arrange 1 cake on each plate. Drizzle with sauce. Pipe or spoon whipped cream alongside, if desired, and serve.

APPLESAUCE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except fruits and nuts and mix until smooth.
• Stir in fruits and nuts.
• Line the bottom of two large loaf pans or one tube pan with well-greased and floured double-thickness brown paper.
• Bake at 300 degrees for one hour (test for doneness with a toothpick).

CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

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.