Fruitcake Recipe

Mom LaLonde’s (Eckstein) Fruitcake Recipe
From Reeze LaLonde Hanson (4^th generation in my family to make this!)

This is the recipe for fruitcake I learned from my mother over years of watching her make it. She learned it from her English and German mother and grandmother. She passed on to me lots of tips for making sure it comes out great, and I’ve included a few of them in the notes that accompany the recipe. This is a fairly big undertaking so I allow at least a day to make up and bake the cakes. I generally make 3 batches to accommodate all the family and friends who clamor for this each Christmas. I always double the recipe when I make it. I buy the fruits from an Amish bulk food store in Charm, Ohio (near Millersburg) and my father ships it to me (in Kansas!) each year. The fruit is so superior to the commercially made fruitcake fruits found in the grocery and worth the extra effort. Check you health food or bulk food stores.

Step #1: Fruit Mixture: Prepare several days ahead to allow fruit to soak.

1 15 oz box golden raisins

1 box dark raisins

5 lbs of diced fruit and peels: (candied citron, candied lemon peel, candied red and green cherries, dried or candied pineapple, dried apricots, chopped pitted dates). Any dried or candied fruits can be used. Commercial fruitcake mixtures are ok, but they tend to be dry and flavorless.

2 cups chopped or whole nuts (pecans and walnuts are best, but omit if you cannot eat nuts)

1 cup thick jam or marmalade (I use apricot preserves, but cherry is also good)

1-2 cups white Niagra (or other fruity white) wine. I have used rum but prefer the flavor with a fruity light wine best. The alcohol is eliminated in the baking process, but if you wish to leave it out select a sweet grape or pear juice to soak the fruit in.

	Mix the fruits, nuts, and jam in a big canning kettle or other large covered pot or bowl.
	Pour wine over it, stir well and cover.
	Soak fruit overnight in the wine. Can soak as long as a week, if necessary.
	Stir mixture at least 2-3 times each day.
	Stir again just before using.

Step #2: Prepare Pans:

	Mom always used loaf pans and tube pans to make this. She would grease the pans, line them with wax paper, and then grease them again. This took forever! But the shape of the cakes always came out so nice in the tube pans, especially.
	I use disposable foil loaf pans (purchased at the grocery store or Wal-Mart) in small and medium sizes. This way I can give the pan away with the cake.
	Spray pans with cooking spray, coating well.
	Cut wax paper to fit in bottom and up all 4 sides of the pan. Fit the wax paper in carefully, trimming off any excess. Make sure it is smooth, and cut away any parts that overlap. Press down to make sure wax paper adheres to the sides of the greased pan.
	Spray again, coating the wax paper. This is important. The cake will be permanently bonded to the pan if you don’t do this!!! LOL

Step #3: The Basic Cake Recipe: can double recipe, but need a big mixing bowl!!

1 ½ cup (3/4 lb) room temperature butter or margarine (I ALWAYS use butter, just tastes better)

3 cups sugar (don’t use sugar substitutes. My husband is diabetic so I am used to adjusting recipes for him, but don’t do it on this one. )

7 eggs (beat together in a small bowl)

4 ¾ cups flour, sifted

½ teaspoon salt

1teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon (or so) Real vanilla extract (don’t use artificial flavoring)

2 teaspoons cinnamon (I usually add a dash of allspice, cloves, and nutmeg to the cinnamon)

	Cream butter and sugar very well.
	Add beaten eggs and vanilla and mix well
	Sift flour, salt and soda together. Add most of the flour and beat well
	Add fruit mixture (with all juices remaining in the pan), then remaining flour, and cinnamon.
	Stir well to completely coat the fruit.

NOTE: there should be more fruit than cake. The cake should just coat the fruit. I have found the best way to do this is to add the cake to the fruit rather than the other way around. Pour batter over the fruit until the fruit is well coated and sticks together nicely. Either discard the extra batter (if any) or add more fruit! This is the secret to moist gooey fruitcake. Too much cake and you get a brick.

	Spoon the batter into prepared pans just until cake reaches the top. Do not overfill.
	Bake in a slow oven 275 degrees.
	Time depends on pan size: usually 2-4 hours (or more). Don’t turn up the oven to try to hurry the cooking. You will ruin the cake.
	I recommend putting a roaster or 9 x 13 pan full of water in the bottom of the oven to allow a bit of steam to help in the cooking process. Keep the pans full throughout the cooking process.
	One batch of cake will fill approximately 4 large (2lb) pans and 2-4 small (1lb.) pans. It will take about 4 hours to bake the large ones and 3 hours to bake the small ones.
	Check for doneness with a toothpick. It will come out clean when done. Top should be medium brown, but not too dark. A nice golden brown color indicates it is close to done.
	Since this cake is VERY moist, it will not pull away from the sides of the pan like other kinds of cake.
	DO NOT overcook or let it dry out.
	When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool on wire racks with a clean dish towel over the top (to preserve moistness).
	When cool, wrap each cake in foil and seal in a zip lock bag. Or remove from pan and wrap in a wine soaked cheese cloth.

This cake will keep for a very long time without refrigeration.

Reeze Hanson
Kansas

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