Wow. So many fruitcakes.

On Jan 17, 2023, Oko Tillo wrote on alt.atheism (in article snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com):

Wow, I didn’t make the list. :-)

Dark Fruit Cake recipe

Most fruit cakes turn out dry since the glace fruit draws moisture from the cake. This recipe turns out moist since the fruit is simmered for a half hour, and it is a bit more moist cake like than some dense fruit cake recipes, and I rarely age it very long.

Melt 1/2 lb (1 cup) margarine in 2 cups boiling water in large pot. Add 2 cups dark brown, demera or raw sugar

1 cup (8 oz) glace cherries, halved (could increase to 1.5 cups) 11 oz dark raisins (can be reduced to 250 g if extra cherries and pineapple are used) 8 oz glace mixed peel 4 oz diced glace pineapple, optional, but good 1 tsp cloves 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp cinnamon (I often use 1.5 tsp cinnamon) 0.5 tsp nutmeg 3 level (or two heaping) tsp cocoa 0.5 tsp ginger optional 0.5 tsp instant coffee optional

Bring all that to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes to a half hour (I usually have it for a half hour). Simmer covered and stir every 5 minutes

Let cool to room temperature, preferably overnight. Have the other ingredients (e.g, eggs, flour) at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix 2 tsp baking soda with 3 tblsp milk, add to cooled mixture.

Beat 4 large eggs (I sometimes use 5 since large eggs might not be as large as they used to be) and 1 tsp vanilla and add that to the cooled mixture. Also stir in 1 tsp salt (I often reduce that to 0.5 tsp since margarine is salted).

Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture, stirring after each cup.

Place a pan of boiling water in the oven, either in the middle of the element but not touching the element, or to the side of where the cake will go. I often use a loaf pan 2/3 full of boiling water but sometimes that will rust the pan, so I use another stainless steel pan instead. This will keep the cake moist.

The ideal cake pan is a deep cast iron cake pan, which may once have been a cast iron dutch oven. But when I was in Vancouver I often used a tube (bundt) pan. Or you could use two loaf pans.

Anyway, line the cake pan(s) with waxed paper You could just grease the pan(s) well if you don't feel like lining it (them) with waxed paper.

and then pour the dough into the pan(s) and place the pan(s) in the oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to

300 F. Bake for 2.5 hours for a round deep pan, 2 hours for a tube pan, 1.5 hours for 2 loaf pans.

Actually it could take a bit longer, but start testing at the time indicated. The one I made Dec 2002 took

3 hours but I think our oven might be a bit off in temperature and will compensate next time

In any case test doneness by sticking it in the middle with a knife or cake tester that should come out clean. But it is better for it to be slightly underdone than overdone, since you can set it by chilling it.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove from pan and remove waxed paper carefully and cool on a rack. And I don't like to age it much but instead if keeping it for more than a week will freeze it.

Actually if you have lined the pan with waxed paper you can remove from the pan immediately and peel off the waxed paper. Also I cooled it on a chopping board not a rack but it might be an idea to turn it over onto a plate after a short while or it might stick to the board. If you didn't use waxed paper but instead greased the pan, leave it in the pan for ten minutes and then run a knife around the edges and remove from the pan.

Options: reduce boiling water (that is used to boil the fruit and spice) to 1.75 cups and then when the mixture is cool add 0.25 cup of booze, either dark rum, brandy or even rye. Also when the cake is cool brush with booze with a pastry brush. And if you do insist on aging it you could brush with booze and sprinkle with powdered sugar and wrap tightly and preferably place in a cake can (one of those big biscuit tins).But again I prefer to freeze it over aging it. And we rarely ice it for Christmas but often do for birthdays and then usually do a cream cheese white frosting sometimes with a sprinkling of nuts on top.

take half a cup of david a quarter cup of dalton bake until totally baked