Now This recipe was inspired by a Pastry Chef , an Indian one (Millie), not from india, so I will let you guess. My mother and I have made this over the years and it was created for my sister Anne Marie ( who is 11 months older than I am) yes back in the day , all three girls were named after queens, FWIW.
My grandmother was born in England, Gloucester and she made this fruit cake time and again. It was served at my sister's wedding for 400 people 25 years ago and we are making it now as next year will be the big "Party". Tonight when I signed off it was with a gin and tonic as I knew I was heading over to my mother's house to start this recipe but for X 4. Yes , a big one. But do not worry we are ready for it, I think.
If anyone would like to make this for a wedding cake just PM me and I will give you further instructions. It has 180 tinted icing roses, originally. But the quantity will fill 4 loaf pans 5 X9.
Old English Fruit Cake
2 cups of butter
1 pound brown sugar
12 eggs , separated
4 cups AP flour
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
3 teaspoons of mace
3 teaspoons of ground clove
2 teaspoon of allspice
2 teaspoons nutmeg (ground fresh, nothing less)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 pound of mixed candied fruit
1 pound candied cherries
1 pound of seeded raisins
1 pound of seedless raisins
1 pound of currants
1 pound of dates
½ diced lemon citron/orange
½ pound of broken pecans
½ pound of slivered almonds ( we break them down more)
1 cup of brandy or rum
½ cup of expresso
Grated peel and juice of 3 medium oranges
Grate peel and juice of 1 lemon peel
Brandy or Rum (we are using both)
This recipe will give you 4 loaf pans , 5 X 9
Butter the pans. Line with brown paper bag and butter the pan again.
1- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat egg yolks well and add, stirring batter until smooth and creamy.
2- Sift flour, measure and sift again with cinnamon, mace, clove, allspice, nutmeg and salt. In another bowl, combine candied fruit, cherries, seeded and seedless raisins, currants, dates, citron, and pecans and almonds. Mix lightly with one cup of the spiced flour.
3- In another bowl, combine brandy/rum (or whatever you would like to use) coffee, grated peel and juice or oranges and lemons.
4- Add spiced flour to batter, blending it in rotation with the alcohol mixture. Then add fruit and nut mixture and mix well. Beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, then fold into batter. Spoon into prepared pans.
5- Place shallow pan of water in bottom oven heated to 250 degrees F. Bake cakes for about 3 ½ hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set cakes on wire rack to cool.
6- When cool , remove from pans. Wrap individually in cheesecloth that has soaked in brandy. Then wrap individually in 2 layers of aluminum foil, sealing to make wrapping airtight.
Now if you are wanting to make this recipe for quests.....it will give 100 hundred portions. As per "this " recipe. The original recipe was posted in the Montreal Gazette... years ago. It has been tweaked so many times....well this is just as good as a dark fruit cake gets. (for me)
You can glaze with : Butter Cream Icing, Royal icing or Almond paste. If I have missed anything, let me know....
I have to throw in the song my dad put on for me tonight , I am still playing it....sorry but its all part of my cooking and its my favorite Spanish song, what is has to do with fruit cake ? Nothing....Just love it !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVQGxFDINng
Trio Los Panchos, Cielito Lindo......
Ps . forgive any typo's, ask any question
My grandmother was born in England, Gloucester and she made this fruit cake time and again. It was served at my sister's wedding for 400 people 25 years ago and we are making it now as next year will be the big "Party". Tonight when I signed off it was with a gin and tonic as I knew I was heading over to my mother's house to start this recipe but for X 4. Yes , a big one. But do not worry we are ready for it, I think.
If anyone would like to make this for a wedding cake just PM me and I will give you further instructions. It has 180 tinted icing roses, originally. But the quantity will fill 4 loaf pans 5 X9.
Old English Fruit Cake
2 cups of butter
1 pound brown sugar
12 eggs , separated
4 cups AP flour
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
3 teaspoons of mace
3 teaspoons of ground clove
2 teaspoon of allspice
2 teaspoons nutmeg (ground fresh, nothing less)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 pound of mixed candied fruit
1 pound candied cherries
1 pound of seeded raisins
1 pound of seedless raisins
1 pound of currants
1 pound of dates
½ diced lemon citron/orange
½ pound of broken pecans
½ pound of slivered almonds ( we break them down more)
1 cup of brandy or rum
½ cup of expresso
Grated peel and juice of 3 medium oranges
Grate peel and juice of 1 lemon peel
Brandy or Rum (we are using both)
This recipe will give you 4 loaf pans , 5 X 9
Butter the pans. Line with brown paper bag and butter the pan again.
1- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat egg yolks well and add, stirring batter until smooth and creamy.
2- Sift flour, measure and sift again with cinnamon, mace, clove, allspice, nutmeg and salt. In another bowl, combine candied fruit, cherries, seeded and seedless raisins, currants, dates, citron, and pecans and almonds. Mix lightly with one cup of the spiced flour.
3- In another bowl, combine brandy/rum (or whatever you would like to use) coffee, grated peel and juice or oranges and lemons.
4- Add spiced flour to batter, blending it in rotation with the alcohol mixture. Then add fruit and nut mixture and mix well. Beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, then fold into batter. Spoon into prepared pans.
5- Place shallow pan of water in bottom oven heated to 250 degrees F. Bake cakes for about 3 ½ hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set cakes on wire rack to cool.
6- When cool , remove from pans. Wrap individually in cheesecloth that has soaked in brandy. Then wrap individually in 2 layers of aluminum foil, sealing to make wrapping airtight.
Now if you are wanting to make this recipe for quests.....it will give 100 hundred portions. As per "this " recipe. The original recipe was posted in the Montreal Gazette... years ago. It has been tweaked so many times....well this is just as good as a dark fruit cake gets. (for me)
You can glaze with : Butter Cream Icing, Royal icing or Almond paste. If I have missed anything, let me know....
I have to throw in the song my dad put on for me tonight , I am still playing it....sorry but its all part of my cooking and its my favorite Spanish song, what is has to do with fruit cake ? Nothing....Just love it !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVQGxFDINng
Trio Los Panchos, Cielito Lindo......
Ps . forgive any typo's, ask any question
