Tropical Fruitcake Recipes

TROPICAL FRUIT CAKES

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour eight 1-cup fluted tube pans or six 4-1/2x2-1/2x1-1/2-inch individual loaf pans and set pans aside.
• In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
• In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds, add brown sugar; beat until combined.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until combined (The batter may appear curdled).
• Combine 1/4 cup rum or pineapple juice, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, the corn syrup, ginger, and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture and rum mixture alternately to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
• Fold in fruit bits and nuts.
• Spread batter in prepared pan.
• Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes for fluted tube pans or 30 to 35 minutes for loaf pans or until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean.
• Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool at least 1 hour on racks.
• Poke holes in cakes using a wooden toothpick or bamboo skewer.
• Soak eight or six 8-inch-square pieces of double thickness 100-percent cotton cheesecloth with the 1/3 cup rum or pineapple juice and wrap each cake in rum- or juice-soaked cheesecloth.
• Wrap each cake tightly in foil or seal in a plastic bag.
• Chill in refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Remove foil or remove cakes from bags; drizzle with 1/4 cup rum or pineapple juice. Rewrap with foil or return to plastic bags and refrigerate at least 24 hours.
• Remove cheesecloth before serving.
• If desired, sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar. Makes 6 or 8 cakes (24 servings).
• Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare Tropical Fruit Cake as directed through until the 24 hr chill, except refrigerate up to 5 days. (Or prepare Tropical Fruit Cakes as directed through up to 24 hr chill, except do not sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place in self-sealing freezer bags. Seal, label, and freeze up to 3 months.)
• To serve, thaw frozen cakes in freezer bags in the refrigerator overnight. Serve as directed.

TROPICAL FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Cover brazil nuts with water and boil for 3 minutes; drain and crack.
• Put the nuts, dates, and both cherries into a bowl.
• Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt over the fruit mixture.
• Mix well with hands till all the ingredients are coated.
• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl till frothy and add the vanilla and almond.
• Mix this with the batter.
• Line a bread pan with foil very neatly and grease and flour it.
• Dump the batter into the pan and bake 300 degree oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes.
• Cover with foil the last part of baking.
• Leave in pan to cool and then the foil should come out easily.
• Make 3-4 days ahead before serving.
• Wrap in plastic wrap .

TROPICAL FRUIT (NO-ALCOHOL) FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Mix all of the butter, sweeteners, oil, juice and extracts in a large enough bowl to fold in the fruit, and add the fruit and pumpkin seeds.
• Stir well and let sit while you sift the flour with the soda and spices, and oil your pans.
• Line pans with parchment paper.
• Add the flour mixture and stir enough to be sure no flour remains dry. Distribute into the pans.
• Cook at 325°F for approximately 35 minutes, check with a toothpick at 30 minutes.
• When the toothpick comes out just barely moist, remove the pans to a rack to cool for 15 minutes, then decant them and let cool in the paper another 15 minutes. Peel and wrap tightly and store in refrigerator or tin, if you wish to add alcohol. I would suggest light rum if you must :)This will remain moist for several days if kept refrigerated.

TROPICAL-FRUIT CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• Pastry cream: In a large sauce-pan, bring milk, coconut, and salt to just under a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand until cool, about 2 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks, then milk mixture. Stir in butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then continue to cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Pass mixture through fine-mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• Crêpes: Combine flour, granulated sugar, salt, milk, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter in a blender. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Lightly brush an 8-inch non-stick skillet or crêpe pan with butter. Heat over medium until just starting to smoke. Remove from heat and pour a scant 2 tablespoons batter into center, swirling to cover bottom. Cook until edges are golden and center is dry, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook about 20 seconds more. Slide crêpe onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with more butter and adjusting heat as needed; stack crêpes as you go (you should end up with about 40). Let cool completely. Crêpes can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.
• Whisk chilled pastry cream to remove any lumps. In a medium bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold into pastry cream. Place a crêpe on a flat serving dish. Spread about 1/4 cup pastry cream onto crêpe. Repeat process with remaining crêpes and pastry cream, finishing with a crêpe. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• To serve, whip remaining 1 cup heavy cream with confectioners' sugar to stiff peaks. Arrange pineapple slices on top of cake, overlapping slightly. Dollop whipped cream on top and garnish with toasted coconut.