Subj : California Fruit Cake
To   : All
From : Ben Collver
Date : Sun Apr 21 2024 09:19:25

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

     Title: California Fruit Cake
Categories: Cakes
     Yield: 1 Cake

     2 c  Dried sliced apricots *
     1 c  Dried figs; cut small
     2 c  White raisins
 1 1/3 c  Dark raisins
   2/3 c  Dried cherries or maraschino
          -cherries; cut small.
          -Marinate dried cherries in
          -Kirsch
   2/3 c  Orange peel; cut small
   2/3 c  Lemon peel; cut small
   2/3 c  Citron; cut small
     1 c  Pecans; up to 2 c, broken
    24    Pineapple cubes; cut in
          -1/4's and drained well
 4 1/2 c  Flour
     4 ts Baking powder
     1 ts Salt
     1 c  Butter
 1 1/2 c  Sugar
     4 tb Corn syrup
     5    Eggs; well beaten
 1 1/3 c  Fruit juices; use syrup from
          -apricots, plus pineapple
          -juice, plus whatever juices
          -you have

MMMMM-------------------------THIN SYRUP------------------------------
   1/2 c  Sugar
     1 c  Water

 Boil dried apricots 1 minute in thin syrup, cool, and dry.

 Dust fruit mixture with some of the flour and set aside covered until
 ready to add to batter. It is even better if the fruit is left
 overnight like this. Mix remaining flour and dry ingredients (minus
 the sugar) and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar well. Add the
 corn syrup and beat well, then mix in well beaten eggs. Add the flour
 mixture alternately with the mixed fruit juices, beating well between
 each addition. Then add fruits, mixing well past each addition. Pour
 into prepared pans **.

 Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 275°F. If you have
 used 2 tube pans, continue baking for another 2 hours. If you have
 used 1 large angel food pan, bake for 5 hours longer. When done, cool
 completely in the pans. Remove cakes from the pans when cool, but
 leave paper on the cakes until ready to serve. Wrap and store.

 ** Use two 9x3" tube pans or one large angel food cake pan. Line
    sides with greased brown paper: I use brown paper bags. Fill pans
    1/2 to 2/3 full.

 Notes: This recipe came down from my grandmother through my mother. I
 have changed a few things from the original. The original called for
 maraschino cherries but since dried cherries have become so widely
 available, I have begun using those. I marinate them in Kirsch for
 several hours.

 I have contemplated adding dried plums or adding another dried
 fruit.. like dried nectarines. The apricots add a lovely tartness to
 it... that redeems it from being totally sweet. I think another tart
 dried fruit would do well too.

 I have also contemplated using dried pineapple for the canned
 pineapple chunks. Haven't done it yet, but if someone wants to try it
 before I make this next, I would be interested in seeing what happens.

 The juices I tend to add now, are fruit nectars. Like apricot nectar,
 peach nectar.. something like that.

 If you want to soak this fruitcake afterwards, I would not go for a
 heavy spirit. Something lighter would seem more appropriate, like
 sherry. This is NOT a dark fruitcake, and as such, seems to call out
 for lighter flavors.

 Recipe by Christine Dabney's Grandmother

 Recipe FROM: <https://web.archive.org/web/20170328103602/
 http://recfoodcooking.org/sigs/Christine%20Dabney/
 California%20Fruit%20Cake.html>

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