Chilly Friday…

It was Cold this morning when I got up at 40 degrees.  It has warmed up to 46 right now.

I was out this morning for some errands and to check a couple of garage sales.  I had my winter coat and gloves on and the heater going full blast in my car.  Last stop was Wal*Mart where I got the things I needed to make my fruit cakes.  I  have been debating whether I even wanted to do that this year.  The candied fruit and nuts have become so expensive and that gave me pause for thought too.  And then I thought, I can’t take it with me (money) so go for it.  So tomorrow I will be making fruit cake.  I can see the shudder on some of your faces right now.  lol  I love homemade fruitcake though and I have been making it for many years.  Usually the first week in October and then soak it in rum for a couple of weeks before eating.

My Own Fruitcake recipe

Through the years I have devised a recipe that works the best for me. Don’t even read the recipe if you don’t like fruitcake. 

•3 cups flour
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•1lb of candied red cherries (cut in half) add more if you want
•1 lb of candied green cherries (cut in half) add more if you want
•1lb of candied pineapple(cut in chunks) add more if you want
•1 box of golden raisins
•2 cups of walnuts broken
•2 cups of pecans broken
•1 cup margarine or butter (softened)
•1 cup white sugar
•1 cup brown sugar
•4 eggs
•1/2 cup applesauce
•1 small jar orange marmalade

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Spray 3 or 4 medium size loaf pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with wax paper, then spray again.
Stir together the flour. baking powder and the salt and set aside.

Cream the butter, sugars, eggs and applesauce together with the marmalade. Add the flour mixture, then fold in the fruit and nuts. Make sure you are using a very large bowl.

 Pour into prepared pans. Decorate the tops with extra cherries, pineapples and nuts. Bake for approximately 2 hours. Check for doneness after 1 and 1/2 hours depending on the size of pan you are using.

Cool, put in a tin container and soak with golden rum and do this every week until time to eat it. Keeps months in the fridge and is just as good frozen.

Have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth