It's Fruitcake Season

Mini Fruitcake Loaves

Fruitcake season starts the day after Thanksgiving at my house. The schedule to prepare remains the same every year. In late October, the first supplies are purchased, early November inquires are made as to who gets on the list. I make 4 double batches of fruit cakes every year, which comes out to 32 mini loaves and 4 regulars loaves.

Now, should I be so included, I would set-up a fruitcake stand, and most likely could sell a thousand of them- they are that good. These fruitcakes have turned non-fruit cake eaters into fruitcake lovers.

People ask to buy my fruitcakes and I honestly would rather make it a gift, so many of my friends will gift me back. In exchange for a fruitcake, I have been gifted Christmas kitchen towels, plants and even a Christmas cactus that is now huge.

“For it is in the giving that we receive”. St. Francis of Assisi

Let talk a little about this recipe, it dates back to WW1. It was printed in an early edition of Better Homes and Gardens, sent in by Mrs. Lathrop, who was given the recipe by her mother-in-law, who had origins in England. According to the story, these fruit cakes were made by the local town-folk and sent to their loved ones on the front lines. Since these cakes were heavily fruited, made without eggs or dairy, and soaked in brandy, they were sustenance with or without a cuppa.

This recipe was changed slightly from the original, decreasing the quantity of raisins and adding dried figs. You can also use fig preserves, but I prefer dried figs. As for the pineapple/cherries, you use any much of both to equal a cup, unless you really like either or both, then you use however much you like.

Last year, I found a company that carries all of the fruits I need for the cakes, it’s Nuts.com. They carry other products like nut flours and fruit powders.

The pecans are ordered from Bergeron Pecans.

Fruit Cake Recipe

¾ cup raisins

¾ cup figs

1 pkg (8 ounces) of dates

1 cup pineapple/cherries

2 cups of sugar

2 cups boiling water

5 tablespoons shortening

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 cup chopped pecans

In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot, add fruit, sugar, and shortening and cover with boiling water. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to simmer the mixture for 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool before adding dry ingredients. 

After the mixture is cool, combine and add dry ingredients in a couple of batches to prevent flour pockets. 

Spoon mixture into prepared pans and bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes for mini pans and for full loaf pan 1 ½ hours.