This is as close to a fruit cake I've ever made. It's handed down from my paternal Mam Maw & I usually only make it during Holidays....
~ Orange Candy Slice Cake ~
2 1/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 c. butter
2 1/2 c. flour
1 lb. orange candy slices (cut up)
2 c. nuts, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix all ingredients very well. Pour into greased loaf pan & bake 2 hrs. at 350.

The orange slice cake is really good ! Use to make every year-not so much now.

It's a shame no one will share their recipes with us. O(

Yes, I make a rich fruit Christmas cake every year, the recipe is from a cook book, and the recipe may vary in some ways year to year depending on the cook book. But most of them are vaguely similar, and I will vary the 'mix' according to the ingredients that I have to hand, but generally as long as the weight/volume of the fruit/nuts/candied peel/cherries etc is the total amount required, whether I have more of one, or less of another, the cake turns out ok. I think the overnight soaking of all of the fruit in rum/whiskey/brandy or other alcoholic beverage is key, along with 'feeding' the cooked cake with one of the above preferences, once or twice before Christmas.

This year, I used a similar recipe, but baked it 'low and slow'; less risk of the cake getting too dark, more control of the cooking, and less baking parchment used - just one layer of lining, with no brown paper tied around outside of the tin. I did not think it would work, and was fully prepared for a repeat performance, but it turned out beautifully. I have 'fed' it twice, and will cover it with marzipan next week, and then some marzipan stars/snowflake/fruit decorations. I am not fond of royal icing, neither are my family.

I have an Ice Box Fruitcake that is very good and NO BAKING. Got from MIL back in 1968. I have tried to copy and paste it here, but I get a message that my text is too long. I doesn't look any longer than others have posted so don't know what my problem is.....
If you are interested in this recipe or can tell me how to post it, I would be glad to share it.
Murphy
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Nerys, thank you so much for posting your recipe. It is the type I have been searching for. ;-)

Some recipes from a favourite cook

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/...christmas-cake

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/...christmas-cake

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/...mincemeat-cake

I will add more brandy or other alcohol beverage if needed for soaking. The fruit needs to be nice and plump (and is whatever is in the cupboard), and sometimes I will have to leave it longer than the time specified, if something else needs my attention. I use whatever I have in the cupboard: whiskey/ sloe gin/ rum/brandy, or a mix of all. I will mix the nuts up too e.g. more almonds/hazelnuts/brazil nuts to make up the quantity specified.
The alcohol and sugar helps to maintain the long life of the cake; the fruit can be soaked in black tea or juice too, but I don't think the cake will keep as long.

Hi LavenderBlue . The fruitcake has been fed weekly now with 2 tablespoons cream sweet sherry.I have brand Osborne sherry as that is affordable price here in EU. You can do different dried fruits as long as the quantity total is same as in recipe. Success with the baking of it.
Tip: If you have leftover dried fruits and some frozen puff pastry you can bake mini pastries I do mine squares 5 cm.
Use some parchment baking paper on baking tray.

Fruitcake season 2018, who is baking this year?

Okay guys and girls- I promise to get out my Mom's recipe this year! It's fantastic- and people who don't like fruitcake love it.
Will get it out today!

Thank you for posting your favorite recipe you use. I do hope the others will post theirs.

Don’t forget. Please

Already made a month ago!
Though I will make another in December, to after Christmas too.

While it hasn't aged quite enough yet, we are already eating and enjoying.
Every day it gets better and better!

Gourmet Fruit Cake- from Susie's Mom

2 sticks of butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. allspice
dash salt
1 1/2 cups apricots, sliced
3/4 cup pitted dates, sliced
1/2 lb. golden raisins
1/2 cup apricot or peach nectar
1/4 cup half & half
1 T lemon juice

Mix dry ingredients.
Add liquids to the dry mix and mix well.

Makes two large loaves.
Grease tins. Bake at 250 degrees for 2- 2 1/2 hours

Combine:
1/2 cup brandy
1/8 cup orange liquer
Sprinkle over fruitcakes.
Wrap in foil- refrigerate.

PS. My Mom makes them ahead of time.

I've made the Ina Garten Fruitcake Cookie recipe for the past several years and have folks asking me for extras on thier cookie platter this year!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...recipe-1944300

I have 2 fruitcake recipes that I really like.
This first one is from DottyD here on the board that is really good that I got from her in 2016:

Fruit Cake
Warm oven 320 - 350 F (170 - 180 C or 3-4 Gas)
Line cake tin with parchment paper (I make mine in a springform pan)
Then begin:
4 oz. butter - melted in large saucepan
8 oz. brown sugar
12 oz. mixed fruit
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice
Small tin of crushed pineapple
Add all the above ingredients to saucepan of melted butter and bring to boil for 3 minutes.
Allow to cool (I immerse the saucepan in a bowl with cold water for quickness)

Add the following to the cooled mixture and mix thoroughly:
Pinch of salt
2 beaten eggs
8 oz. self rising flour **(see below to make your own)**
1/2 Cup chopped pecans

Bake for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours
Turn out of tin when cooled

**Self Rising Flour is all-purpose flour with baking powder & salt added. To make your own, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder & 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fruit Cake

1/2 lb. (1 1/3 cup) cherries cut in quarter
1/2 lb. candied pineapple - cut up
1/2 lb. pitted dates - cut up
1 Tablespoon flour
4 1/2 cups chopped pecans
4 oz. (1/2 cup) coconut
14 oz. can Condensed Milk

Mix all ingredients well & pour into bundt pan sprayed with Pam.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours @ 250 F
Can be eaten immediately or wrap in foil & store for 2 weeks in refrigerator.

(This recipe is mostly FRUIT - it only has 1 tablespoon of flour so it is does not have a cake base)

This year I will be making a white fruit cake, as opposed to a rich dark fruit cake. It will have lighter coloured fruits, multi coloured cherries and some nuts. Marzipan only to top, as usual. I have been trying to find the recipe that I used some years ago, but it had got mislaid somewhere, anyway, I found it a couple of weeks ago, and now ready to go.
I had used a recipe from Katie Stewart to make this white fruit cake, she died in 2013, you could always rely on her recipes, and she was a wonderful cook. I will post the recipe soon.

My Grandma's Dark Christmas Cake
 

This is wonderful, rich with fruit and dark with molasses and spice! Offered up a batch to the fundraising committee at church one year. They were selling fruitcakes but a medium dark. Was told no one like dark fruitcake any more but gave them some to sell anyway. Mine they sold out of right away and came to me to make more (overnight) when I was leaving on a trip the next morning early!

Just checked out Alton Brown's fruitcake. It sure sounds like a keeper. But darn it, I will have to make a trip to the liquor store for rum.

I order from “Mary of Puddin’ Hill” in Greenville, Texas

in my family only Mom, sister and one brother like fruit cake. I didn't like it, Over the years tasted many, many were passed by. I have found this recipe and tried it. found it on another board. made it several times and with husbands family that has nut allergies, I made it with no nuts.
it's called Sugar free cake
mix together 1 c dried apricots; 1 c dried dates; 1 cup raisins ( put them in a food processor and chop them up)
1/2 c water; 1/2 walnuts (opt.); 1c flour; 2 beaten eggs; 1 t baking soda; 1 t vanilla; 1/2c melted butter. Stir together, pour into greased 9"x13" pan; bake 350 for 25 minutes....(I have put in a greased loaf pan and baked and just watched it so it didn't burn) (-that's my speciality - burnt offerings) for those in the family that like fruit cake but couldn't eat it before because of nuts-this they truly loved.

This looks yummy!

SusieQ, thank you for posting your recipe....it sounds wonderful!!

You're welcome, Blue!
My Mom told me yesterday that you can use orange juice instead of orange liquer- that's not a staple in most homes!

Brazil Nut Sensation

3/4 cup unsifted flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lb. whole, shelled Brazil nuts (weighed after shelling)
1 lb. pitted, whole dates
1 bottle (16 oz.) maraschino cherries, well drained
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Leave nuts, dates and cherries whole. Combine them in a bowl. Sift dry ingredients over top. Mix to coat nuts and cherries. Beat eggs until foamy. Thoroughly stir in vanilla. Pour over cherry mixture. Mix until well blended. Spoon into 9×5-inch loaf pan that has
been greased and floured. Batter will come nearly to top of pan but won’t overflow during baking. Bake in preheated 300-degree oven about 1 1/2 hours or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. If allowed to stand in pan longer, cake may develop holes in the bottom. Carefully run spatula around sides and ends. Invert on rack, carefully using spatula to release it. When cool, wrap in waxed paper, then foil. Store in refrigerator or wrap in foil and freeze after allowing cake to age several weeks in refrigerator. Use very sharp knife to cut into slices. Makes 1 cake.

Graham Cracker Unbaked Fruit Cake

1 pound box of graham crackers
1/2 lb. raisins
1/2 lb. dates
1/2 lb. mixed candied fruits
1 small bottle maraschino cherries
2 cups chopped pecans
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 can Eagle brand milk
1 lb. marshmallows (cut into pieces) or can use miniature one

Crush Graham Crackers and add chopped fruits, nuts and spices. Scald milk and add marshmallows. Do not allow to melt completely. Pour milk mixture over dry ingredients. Mix well and pack firmly into graham cracker box. Store in refrigerator for a few days before serving.

ilovequilts34, this sounds like a great recipe. I like the idea of no-bake! It sounds like it would be a lot like the one I bake with the condensed milk. I think I'm going to have to try this one. Thanks!

I want to try my hand at Fruit Cakes this year. I looked up the King Arthur flour one and many said that they like that. However, this page has so many to chose from and I enjoy Fruit Cake and think it would be a good way to become more acquainted with my neighbors.