Do you make the traditional Fruit Cakes anymore I always make them from my French Canadian Grandmothers Recipe that is well over 100 years old. I don't know how she made it as she couldn't read or write either French or English. It is a long process but so worth and the house smells so good for days.
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I give mine a drink weekly now until mid Dec. But be very gentle and just sprinkle lightly or they will get to much it won't hurt them just make them alitttle moist.
well, they seemed to come out ok, came outof the pans no problem and the crumbs sure tsted good.. Although on the outside they look not as dark I had hoped. So how often should I be dousing with more rum/brandy?
on the land's elevation...here in Ottawa we're at 91 feet above sea level and I don't notice any difference in the way my cakes turn out... however, back home in the YT, at 8k feet above sea level...you can really notice the need for adjustments....
That is a lot to have to figure out I have seen it on the cake mixes butnever realized it was sucha big deal. DH is thinking of buying land in Alta and I have heard you have to adjust recipes even there is that true does anyone know.
It depends on what you are baking to make the adjustments.
At altitudes higher than 3500 feet, the air pressure is lower so liquid evaporates faster.
Most baked goods (leavened with baking powder or baking soda, not yeast) will be improved by making one or more of the following adjustments:
Increase temperature (25ºF)
Increase liquid
Decrease leavening
Decrease sugar
Using larger pan size
Pound cakes and other rich cakes benefit from reduced amounts of fat.
Quick breads and cookies require the fewest adjustments.
Yeast bread dough rises more rapidly and can overrise easily, so let dough rise for a shorter time. Because flour dries out more quickly, too, use the minimum amount called for in a recipe, or use 1/4 to 1/2 cup less than the total amount.
Many mixes that require adjustment for high altitudes have specific directions right on the package. Be sure to look for them.
Boiled candy and cooked frostings (sugar mixtures) become concentrated more rapidly because of the faster evaporation of water. Watch cooking closely to prevent scorching. Reduce recipe temperature by 2°F for every 1000 feet of elevation.
How do you adjust recipes for the higher altitude what do you have to do I have seen that before but never knew hwa they were talking about. As far as halfing the recipe i suppose it would work never tried it as I make 2 batches but nevr double it make them separate.
welcome to the forums...I'm from the yukon too!
Remember to adjust your recipes for the altitude, I made that mistake years ago using a recipe from a southerner I knew and forgot that mile 1016 was a few feet (lol) higher in altitude...can you say it came out a pancake...lol
having never made fruit cake but being a lover of dark fruit cake I am going to give it a go and see if i can fill the air here in Dawson with the fragrance of darl fruit cake. I assume if I half it I will make about three bread pans.
Yes you should be able to use bigger pans it will just take longer to cook. My Mother used to use square fruit cake pans and they were in 3 different sizes but she still only filled them about 2 1/2 inches deep and they rose alittle.
So if I want a deeper cake, can I put the batter in a regular bread pan? Let's say 3 regular loaf pans. Or is the batter too heavy and it will cave in the center or not cook through?
I use small bread loaf pans they are 9in.X4in X2.5indeep and this recipe makes 5 cakes I fill the pans about 3/4 up the sides and it doesn't rise to much so the cakes are about 2 1/2 inches high. Really watch your time on this cake as it really depends on the size of the pan the length of the baking time.With small cakes like I make it doesn't take much more than 2 hours. But it can take as much as 3 1/2 hours in the big fruit cake square pans.
Jeep, what size pans do you use. or should I say, how high does the cake rise? I would like to try your recipe.
I have a similar recipe, also with pineapple in it, and I pour the batter into a regular round cake pan. I have to make 2, as one is usually eaten before Christmas arrives! ;)
Check them weekly and just touch them lightly and see if they feel moist just drizzle with a litle bit more brandy and rewrap. They need at least 3 weeks to cure and will last well into Jan. if you don't get them eaten. You can freeze them later if you want to save for a later date. But don't freeze until after Christmas.
Hi Jeep:
The cakes are all done and put away in the format you suggested. So thank you for all your help. Next weekend, I'll unwrap them and pour a little more brandy on them .. is that right? Or should I at them look before that? Also, The Man of the House wants to know when he can eat them. I've told him at least 3 weeks. Is that right?
Thanks again Jeep.
I don't know about that if they have any smells or cleaners in them. You can buy the cheese cloth at CT it is in a package labeled as a Game Bag in the Sporting Goods section it was about $7.00 but you get lots cut it into strips across the width and double it over just drizzle lightly with booze.
"as you woud a regular cake"!! Oooh Jeep. How little you understand about the level of my domestic skills. This is the first cake I've baked in about 30 years. I seem to recall that toothpick business though, so I've done that as you suggested and they seem to be done. So I'll let them cool and do the next step tomorrow. Would a j-cloth be OK in place of cheesecloth do you think., or? .....
Thanks again.
Test as you would a regular cake with a toothpick if it comes out clean then they are done. Mine took about 2hr.15min. and mine are quite small as well.
Jeep:
How do you know if they're done? I had them in for 2 hours and 15 min. The recipe made 7 loaf pans. 8 x 3 inches each. The 7th is only about half full. They seem pretty firm, but is there a foolproof way to tell?
Thanks
Booklady
Let me know how it turns out. I checked mine today and they smell so good. I store them in a metal coleman cooler so I don't have to worry about any little creepy crawling things getting at them. I also keep them in a cool space don't freeze them yet let them cure first.
Hi:
This is my first posting so I hope I've got the font etc. set properly.
Jeep, the ingredients for your recipe sounded so good that I went to the bulk food store and bought everything this aft. The fruit is now marinating and will I be cooking the cake tomorrow.
It's so many years since I've made anything like that, that I'm wondering what the outcome will be. It'll be fun for sure.
So thank you for the inspiration.
I use have of the dark demerera sugar and half fancy molasses. With a full recipe that is 1 cup of each. It makes 5 loaf pans and I baked mine today and they took about 2 hours because theyare smaller. I am going to make another batch tomorrow.
I am going to make 1/2 the recipe....I love dark fruit cake. Jeep do you mean molasses or Demerera sugar ?
My house smells so good and i haven't even started the cakes I just set the fruit last night with the rum and brandy. I am about to get baking
Fruit Cake
1 lb. butter
16oz sugar ( I use dark and molasses)
12 eggs
16 oz Sultana raisin
16 oz. Seedless raisin
16 oz Currants
8 oz fruit peel
8 oz each red and green cherries
4 oz sliced almonds peeled
1 can crushed pineapple
1 apple grated
Juice of 2 oranges
juice of 1 lemon
5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp All Spice
2 tsp baking powder
THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU COOK THE CAKE
Marinate all the fruit and almonds in the pineapple juice and other juices ( I also add both dark rum and brandy to the fruit)
THE NEXT MORNING
Beat the room temp. butter and sugar and add the eggs one at a time while you keep beating. Then add this to the fruits and almond mixture. Use a wooded spoon and add the dry ingred. Add a pinch of salt. Mix well Butter pans I use small bread pans one inch from the top. Bake at 275 for 3 1/2 hours check after about 2 hours depending on size of pans. Cool and the next day wrap with a rum sprinkled cheese cloth and wrap in foil. Sprinkle with Rum and Brandy for about 3 weeks store for Christmas. I use the molasses and dark sugar !/2 and !/2 as we like dark cakes but light sugar will give you a lighter cake. Enjoy
Yes up until 2 years ago I made my own. The recipe made about 10 pounds.
I would give much of it away as gifts. Most of the time i made it in October and seasoned it with brandy every week LOL.
It is my grandmother's recipe........a bit of this, a bit of that...butter the size of a large egg... LOL are some of the directions....Mmmm love fruit cake.
Jeep I would be interested in seeing your recipe...if it is not too long to type out. Thanks.
I just may give it a whirl...but not 10 pounds. !!!