Great Grandmothers Fruit Filled Cake Recipes

GRANDMA BETTY'S FAMILY FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Oven should be preheated to 250 (yes that is correct - 250) and cooking time is 2 hours (yes, 2 hours). Prep time is about 30 minutes. You will need 5-6 Mini Loaf Pans approximately 5" x 3" in size, I used 6.
• 2. Bowl #1 - Mix flour, baking powder and sugar, SET ASIDE
• 3. Bowl #2 - Mix Eggs, Vanilla extract and Almond extract together, SET ASIDE
• 4. Bowl #3 - Mix Dates, Cherries (RED AND GREEN), Pineapple (get the largest pieces you can find, not whole but not the bits either) and Nuts together, SET ASIDE. (note: I have also used Pecans - either or both are excellent) NOTE #1: BE SURE to SET ASIDE 3 CHERRIES for EACH mini Pan to go ON TOP of each cake before cooking. NOTE #2: I do not add all the syrup from the candied fruit, I do my best to remove the candied fruit from the containers leaving behind the goo. I do not rinse the fruit.
• 5. Follow this order for easiest blending of above ingredients - Mix Bowl #1 and Bowl #2 together. Be sure to get a creamy, no lumps remaining, smooth consistency. I use a large spatula to achieve best blend.
• 6. REMINDER: BEFORE YOU FOLD BOWL #3 into the BATTER created by BOWL #1 & BOWL #2 - BE SURE to set aside three cherries for each fruit cake to put on top of each mini loaf before they go in the oven. THEN, fold ingredients of Bowl #3 into your above blended batter.
• 7. Spray your individual mini loaf pans (as seen in photo) with a cooking spray of your choice.
• 8. Scoop out enough batter to fill each tin. Do not over fill. This recipe will fill 6 individual mini tins nicely. NOW - ADD THE SET ASIDE CHERRIES to the top of your loaf pan now filled with the completed batter to accent your creation.
• 9. Place the tins on a large cookie sheet (for easiest in and out placement to oven) AND BAKE - 250 slow oven for 2 hours.
• 10. When finished, remove from oven and let cook on wire rack.
• 11. I leave the fruit cake in the pans, and then put the pretty little Fruit Cakes in a fancy clear food type gift bag or wrap in clear plastic wrap and add a bow so everyone can see your delicious treat when you present it to them.

GRANDMA LEONE'S FRUIT CAKE

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.

GREAT GRANDMOTHER'S FRUIT FILLED CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE:.
• Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well.
• Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition.
• Stir in vanilla and fold in egg whites.
• Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes or done. Cool 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely.
• FILLING:.
• Combine egg yolks, sugar, and butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constant until thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Cool completely.
• FROSTING:.
• Combine first 5 frosting ingredients in double broiler; beat 30 seconds at low speed with mixer or until blended.
• Place over boiling water, beating constantly on high for about 8 minutes or until peaks form.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla. beat an additional 1 minute or until thick enough to spread.
• Build the cake using the filling in between each layer. There is enough frosting to cover the top and sides of this 3 layer cake.

GRANDMOTHER'S PINEAPPLE JUICED CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Grease bottom of two (I use three) 8-inch round cake pans and line with waxed paper or parchment paper. Don't skip the paper liner, it is imperative since you're going to be freezing the cakes with juice in the pans later.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• Cream sugar and butter together until light.
• Add eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
• Continue beating one minute.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. May take less time depending on your oven and how many pans you use.
• While cake is cooling, drain pineapple, but SAVE JUICE.
• Set crushed pineapple aside for later.
• Poke holes in cakes while still in pans.
• Pour juice over layers in pans. Be liberal but remember cake still has to stand once assembled so don't go overboard.
• Put layers in freezer to firm for a period while still in pans. We do this so that it will be easier to handle to assemble cake and to ice.
• Cake can be baked, juiced and frozen ahead of time for a lengthy period as long as cakes are wrapped very well.
• Prepare icing while cakes are freezing.
• Cream shortening with mixer.
• Add vanilla.
• Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.
• When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
• Add milk or water and beat at medium speed until desired consistency. You want it to be a little firm so it won't slide off of cake, yet still spreadable.
• Remove firm cakes from freezer and start assembling layers. Use a deeper bottomed plate of some sort as this cake will be juicy onced thawed completely and you don't want that to pool in your fridge.
• Assemble with icing and liberal amount of pineapple between each layer, then ice entire cake. Add remaining pineapple as topping.
• Cover iced cake and allow to thaw completely in refrigerator before serving. Tastes better cold!
• Be sure to store cake in fridge- don't leave sitting out.

FRANKFURTER KRANZ (BUTTERCREAM FILLED CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Mix in grated lemon rind.
• Sift flour again with cornstarch and baking powder.
• Gradually stir in butter-egg mixture until thoroughly blended.
• Butter and flour a cake ring mold and tap out excess flour.
• Pour batter into pan.
• Bake in the lower half of oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour-test with a toothpick.
• Cool in pan on a rack.
• Praline topping or Krokant----------------.
• Place the butter and sugar in a fry pan over low heat, and stir constantly until the sugar is lightly browned and melted.
• Stir in nuts and pour onto a greased or buttered flat serving plate.
• When cold and hard, crack praline topping into small pieces.
• Butter Cream Filling---------------.
• Over low heat, cook sugar, water and cornstarch, stirring until dissolved.
• Bring to a boil, and stir until mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water-238°F on candy thermometer.
• VERY slowly, stirring constantly, in a very thin stream, pour boiling hot syrup inches.
• If you add the boiling syrup to quickly it will scramble the egg yolks-so pour in the thickness of a thread, stirring vigorously.
• Beat until mixture cools and is smooth.
• Cool completely.
• Beat softened butter into the cooled creme, adding your favorite flavoring, 3 to 4 tbsp rum, arrack, kirch or fruit liquor, or 1 tbsp vanilla extract, or 2 and 1/2 oz melted and cooked semi sweet baking chocolate, or 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts.
• Cut cake into 3 layers.
• Spread 1 cup of buttercream filling onto bottom and middle layers, saving enough to cover outside of cake.
• Stack layers and spread rest of filling on top and all sides.
• Sprinkle praline topping or Korant on top and sides of cake.
• Chill at least 24 hours before serving.

GRANDMA'S BOILED FRUITCAKE

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.

GRANDMA LEACH'S FRUITCAKE

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.