Indulge in a delectable journey with our collection of winter fruitcake recipes, a testament to the timeless tradition of preserving the essence of the season. Discover the classic Mamma Maculans' Winter Fruitcake, a cherished Italian family recipe passed down through generations, bursting with a symphony of dried fruits, nuts, and zesty citrus. Embark on a culinary adventure with our Vegan Winter Fruitcake, a delightful plant-based rendition that caters to dietary preferences without compromising on taste and texture. For those seeking a gluten-free alternative, our Gluten-Free Winter Fruitcake offers a delightful balance of flavors and textures, ensuring everyone can savor the joys of this festive treat. Complement your holiday celebrations with our collection of winter fruitcake recipes, each promising a unique taste experience that captures the spirit of the season.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
FREE RANGE FRUITCAKE
Steps:
- Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
- Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)
- Heat oven to 325 degrees.
- Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
- Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
- When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.
MOM'S FRUITCAKE
Our family has been making this for the past 45 years. Friends and family all love it!
Provided by Food Network
Categories dessert
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 250-275 degrees.
- Batter will make about 15 lbs. Prepare pans according to chart below. Grease and line pans with brown paper, waxed paper, or parchment. Grease again. Cut paper about 1 inch taller than pans. Fill pans a little over half full with batter. If you have room in the oven, put a pan with some hot water in it in the bottom, to keep the cakes moist. Enjoy!
- Pan sizes and baking chart:
- 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan: 6 1/2 cups batter, bake for 3 hours
- 10" tube pan: 2 1/2 quarts batter, bake for 3 hrs 15 mins
- 1 lb. coffee cans: 3 3/4 cups batter, bake for 3 hrs 15 mins
- 9 1/4 oz. tuna cans: 1 cup batter, bake for 1 hour 30 mins
- No.303 (16oz) cans: 1 2/3 cup batter, bake for 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours
- 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 2-inch mini loaf pans: 3/4 cup batter, bake for 1 hour
CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE
It's a shame that fruitcake as a species gets such a bad rap. With its two key ingredients--rum and butter--it ought to be a hit. This recipe includes dried fruit, instead of the glowing, candied stuff we've all learned to associate with fruitcake, and is less dense and more cake-like than many fruitcake recipes. It has become a favorite of my friends and family around the holidays (even the skeptical ones), and is delicious by itself, or covered with a layer of almond paste.
Provided by Karen Uffelman
Categories Desserts Specialty Dessert Recipes Liqueur Dessert Recipes Rum
Time P20DT6h57m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup rum for at least 24 hours. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 6x3-inch round pan or loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into butter and sugar in three batches, alternating with molasses and milk. Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum.
- Cut out one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake. Moisten cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin, and age for at least 10 weeks. If storing longer, douse with additional rum for every 10 weeks of storage.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 302.3 calories, Carbohydrate 33.3 g, Cholesterol 54.1 mg, Fat 14.8 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 7.8 g, Sodium 202.7 mg, Sugar 20.5 g
CLASSIC WINTER FRUITCAKE
This festive icing is easy to use, looks amazing and makes a lighter end to a meal. The perfect centrepiece for Christmas tea
Provided by Jane Hornby
Categories Afternoon tea, Dessert, Treat
Time 20m
Yield Enough icing for the top
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Lightly beat the egg white in a shallow bowl and spread out the caster sugar on a baking sheet or tray. Dip the grapes and the holly or bay leaves into the egg white, or use a paintbrush. Shake off the excess, then coat in the sugar. Set aside to dry for at least 10 mins, ideally about 30 mins.
- When you're ready to decorate, make the frosting. Put a large bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Put the egg whites and icing sugar into the bowl and whisk for 5-7 mins until you have a thick, very glossy frosting. Use a spatula to clean around the edges of the bowl every so often as you whisk. Scoop the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread it around with a flat-edged knife, swirling as you go to create a snowy effect (see Knowhow, below).
- Halve the clementines, figs and kumquats, then arrange on top of the frosted cake with the physalis, frosted grapes and leaves. Fix a ribbon around the base and leave the cake somewhere cool - but not the fridge - until your guests arrive.
SNOW-CAPPED FRUITCAKE
Giving fruitcake a winter-white coat transforms a humble classic into an upscale dessert. In it is a flavorful array of golden jewels -- dried pineapple, pear, and apple; crystallized ginger; golden raisins; and lemon zest. The cake is covered with rolled white fondant and aflurry of hand-cut snowflakes.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-by-3-inch round cake pan, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and almonds in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Cook Armagnac and fruit in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid has absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely. Chop fruit into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside.
- Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in zest and ginger. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Transfer to a large bowl. Fold in flour-nut mixture with a rubber spatula. Stir in fruit.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs, about 1 hour 40 minutes. If cake browns too quickly during baking, loosely tent with foil. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool.
- Trim cake level with a serrated knife. Bring apricot jam and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; strain into a small bowl. Lightly brush cake with the jam syrup.
- On a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, roll 2 pounds fondant to 1/4 inch thick, brushing off excess cornstarch as needed. Drape fondant over rolling pin; center and place on cake. Starting at top, smooth fondant onto cake with your hands. Trim with a pastry wheel.
- On a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, roll remaining 1/2 pound fondant to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Cut out 4 small, 4 medium, and 4 large snowflakes. Brush underside of each snowflake with a damp pastry brush, and gently press onto cake. Decorate snowflakes with royal icing.
MAMA'S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE - DEE DEE'S
This has to be the very best fruitcake ever!! This recipe was passed down to my mother from her mother. I can remember mama making 2 to 4 of these cakes at a time for Christmas. Everything mama put into her fruit cakes was very fresh. She would crack a fresh coconut and grate it. The pecans she put in this cake were not...
Provided by Diane Atherton
Categories Cakes
Time 3h30m
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- 1. Sift all dry ingredients together. Coat fruit and nuts with just enough of flour mixture (about 1 cup) to ensure that the fruit does not stick together; set aside.
- 2. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- 3. Add remaining dry mixture to egg, sugar and butter mixture; add liquor and vanilla; mix well.
- 4. Pour the creamed mixture over the fruit and nuts. Hand stir until mixed well.
- 5. Pour into 2 10-inch waxed paper lined tube pans, garnish top of cake with cherries, pineapple slices and pecan halves; place in cold oven, set oven at 275 degrees; bake 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours or until a long skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. MY MOHTERS RECIPE STATES BAKE IN SLOW OVEN FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS. IT TOOK MUCH LONGER IN MY OVEN.
- 6. Once cakes are done, cool and wrap in wine soaked cheesecloth, then in Reynolds Wrap and then wrap in towels.
- 7. NOTE: The secret to these wonderful cakes is in the aging process. Mama would age her cakes from 2 to 3 weeks. Once a week she would un-wrap the cakes and pour enough liquor over the cakes to keep them moist until Christmas.
MAMMA'S ICEBOX FRUITCAKE
My family doesn't really like the traditional fruitcake, but will eat this like crazy. The thing I like most about it is that it freezes really good. You can make it a month in advance, freeze, defrost and serve later. Cook time is actually chill time.
Provided by Jellyqueen
Categories Dessert
Time 6h10m
Yield 1 large cake, 10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Mix graham cracker crumbs and milk until well blended.
- Add remaining ingredients until well blened.
- Mixture will be very stiff.
- Pack into a Christmas mold, which has been sprayed with oil, or form into logs and wrap with wax paper.
- Cover and keep refrigerated.
- Remove from mold just before serving.
WINTER FRUIT MACAROONS
Coconut macaroons with sweetened condensed milk instead of egg whites are my version of a recipe my mom loved. All you do is mix, drop and bake. -Veronica Miller, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 30m
Yield about 7 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets., Bake until light brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container. Freeze option: Freeze cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. Thaw before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 86 calories, Fat 4g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 2mg cholesterol, Sodium 18mg sodium, Carbohydrate 13g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 1g protein.
Tips:
- Mise en place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all your ingredients and equipment ready. This will make the process much smoother and help you avoid any mishaps.
- Measure your ingredients accurately: Baking is a precise science, so it's important to measure your ingredients accurately. Use a digital kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons to ensure that you're getting the right amounts.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing the batter can result in a tough, dry cake. Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the cake at the right temperature: The temperature of your oven can affect the texture and flavor of your cake. Make sure to preheat your oven to the correct temperature before baking the cake.
- Don't open the oven door during baking: Opening the oven door during baking can cause the cake to fall. Resist the urge to peek at your cake until it's done baking.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting: Frosting a warm cake can cause the frosting to melt or slide off. Let the cake cool completely before frosting it.
Conclusion:
Mamma Maculan's Winter Fruitcake is a delicious and festive cake that's perfect for the holiday season. With its rich, flavorful batter and abundance of dried fruits and nuts, this cake is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So next time you're looking for a special treat, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!
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