thenonnielady

Kathy,
I love fruitcake and would love to have your recipe.....can you send or post it?? Thank you

The nonnie lady aka Nancy in Knoxville

0tis

I love fruitcake too - my mother in law sends it to me - I usually have it for several days with coffee - love it.

mummadee

Recipes, PLEASE!

QuiltE

Here's a hint ... the old recipes say to wrap your Christmas cakes in liquor soaked cheesecloth. Of course, that's easier said than found! One year I decided to use J-Cloths!!! Worked perfect and it was easy to tell when they had dried enough that it was time for another soaking. Once wrapped with the Js, then I put into a plastic bag, twist it closed and it helps to keep the booze in there. I think of it kind of perspiring on itself!!!!!

The Js and plastic are much easier to work with as you work with it each time.

lindy-2

i love fruit cake but cant seem to find a good recipey.

May in Jersey

Sounds great and much easier than making dozens and dozens of cookies at Christmas, so
Yes Please, We Would love to have the Fruitcake Recipes! May in Jersey

MrsM

Okay dumb question : Does it last until Christmas? Or does it have to sit a long while before you can eat it?

QuiltE

I made mine five weeks ago and we are eating it now. It does get better with age as the fruit/nuts soften and flavours meld. For those that are soaking in booze, there's that factor too for the time. I'll make some more in a week or two, for a later run .... as we'll eat it all winter!

Panchita

I would agree with QuiltE that some Christmas cakes are awful - usually due to being too dry, either because they are commercially made (and hence stored for eons before you eat it) or even homemade if the cake is not 'fed' (i.e. painted with brandy - or the spirit of your choice - over several weeks prior to eating)

MrsM - there is a whole mystique about Christmas cake (or heavy fruitcake) actually improving the longer it is left - hence the traditional making it several weeks prior to Christmas Day to allow the flavours to mellow and blend. There is also a tradition here of the top layer of a wedding cake being made to essentially the same recipe and then kept for use at the christening of the couple's first child. Not sure I fancy that, but it gives you the general idea!!

Tartan - I think that traditionally the stir and make a wish is in relation to Christmas pudding (similar recipe but different 'category' of food in that it is usually served with cream or brandy butter as the dessert at the Christmas meal - Christmas cake is eaten as cake at any time around Christmas). Though I see no reason why not make a wish over the cake as well!

I'll dig out the recipe I'm using and post it tomorrow - they do have quite a lot of ingredients though, so be warned! LOL

Maybe1day

I usually make mine in mid September as it is still cool. These type of fruit cakes will last for years if stored properly. Our wedding cake was this type of cake and the top layer was wrapped and stored then bought out to share on our first anniversary. It was an old tradition to keep the top layer of the cake for either the christening of the first child or the first anniversary of the wedding. Most of the time back then it was the first child.

Maybe1day