Irish Whiskey Fruitcake Recipes

IRISH WHISKEY CAKE

Steps:

• Place the raisins, lemon rind, and whiskey in a small bowl and let them soak overnight. Line bottom of an eight-inch square cake pan with parchment paper that is buttered and dusted with flour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift the flour, salt, cloves and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Quickly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the soaked raisins.
• In a separate clean bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture. Pour this into your prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake thoroughly on a wire rack.
• To make the glaze: Mix the lemon juice with the sifted powdered sugar and just enough whiskey and warm water so that you can drizzle icing over the cake.

IRISH WHISKEY CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Grease the pans using butter or a spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. It will begin to pale in color, too.
• Add about one third of the beaten eggs, and continue to beat medium speed.
• Now add about a third of the sifted flour. Repeat this step, then add the rest of the eggs and mix well. Turn the mixer to low and add the final flour and the whiskey and mix until well combined, but do not over mix.
• Using a scale, divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and place in the center of a preheated oven for about 35 minutes. If you don't own a scale (I highly advise it for best baking results) just eye it. Since ovens vary greatly, do not open the oven until you start to smell the cake and it looks well risen (through the glass).
• Carefully check that the cake is done with a cake tester or thin skewer. If it is too raw, the cakes will fall and you won't be happy, so the previous step is important. When the cake is done, remove them from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the tins.
• To remove: place a cooling rack over the top of the cake and flip it over quickly. Remove the tin and the parchment paper and allow to cool completely before filling.
• Make the whiskey buttercream by mixing all of the ingredients together in a bowl until a smooth spreading/piping consistency is formed.
• Using a cake leveler, or large serated knife, place the cake layers, flat side down on the counter and slice off the top to make them even.
• Save or freeze the leftover cake to make trifle(s)!
• Place one layer, CUT SIDE UP on a serving plate or cake stand and spread or pipe the whiskey buttercream over the top. I used a 2D tip if you wanted to do the same.
• Top with the second layer, but this time, CUT SIDE DOWN.
• Put all of the glaze ingredients except the whiskey into a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before adding the whiskey. Stir and check the consistency before pouring over the cake: it should be a bit more thick than it was when hot, but not so cool/thick that it won't run off the edges of the cake.
• Pour over the cake and allow to run slightly down the edges. Decorate with some clover if you have it (for St. Patrick's Day).
• Slice and serve.

IRISH WHISKEY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
• Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mace and cloves.
• Cream butter with brown sugar until fluffy/light in a large bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in apricots and whiskey. Stir in flour mixture until blended, then raisins, mixed fruit, pecans and cherries.
• Spoon into prepared pan. Spread top evenly.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours or till wooden pick comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Loosen cooled cake around the edges with a knife; turn out onto rack.
• Wrap in cheesecloth, pour some Irish Whiskey over it every few days, and let age for two to four weeks. Overwrap the cheesecloth with foil. Keep in the refrigerator.

IRISH CURRANT AND RAISIN CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°.
• 2. Stir together the 2 1/4 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• 3. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle on medium speed until soft and light, about 5 minutes. Add the egg, beating until smooth.
• 4. Decrease the mixer speed to low and beat in half the flour mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Beat in the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture.
• 5. Give the batter a final mix with the rubber spatula.
• 6. Toss the currants and raisins with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and fold them into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• 7. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until the cake is well risen and deep gold and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
• 8. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto a rack and remove the pan and paper. Invert the cake onto another rack and cool completely.
• Storage: Wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature, or double-wrap and freeze for longer storage.