Any fruit cake is going to get that as a first reaction because it's been so solidly programmed into everybody by the media and by those horrid bricks you can buy for cheap.

Personally, although it's not haute cuisine, I've always like the Borden Nonesuch recipe that used their condensed mincemeat in the batter. It makes a nice moist cake, very dense. People really like it if you can get them to try it. I've resorted to calling it plum cake and things like that to get them to take the first taste.

Taste is subjective..... You either love it or hate it, and I don't think a certain recipe will disguise the fact that it's a fruit cake - especially if you use the traditional candied mixed fruit from the grocery store. However, you might get away with it if you don't store it in a round tin ;-).

Because my grandmother made light fruit cake covered with white frosting, my father thought there was something "wrong" with dark fruit cake and wouldn't eat it. I dislike fruit cake soaked with booze so I won't eat it. I don't imbibe, so it's not a taste I enjoy, while others would find it lacking without it.

Most people who believe the negative attributes and myths have probably never eaten a homemade fruit cake made with real fruit. I know my sister-in-law has some idea that the green citron and green cherries in the fruit cake mixture will most certainly kill her (but she also thinks mac and cheese out of a box is a "meal"), but most people don't bother to make their own candied fruit and candied citrus peel. King Arthur has some superior fruit choices if you aren't into making your own, but you may want to avoid the usual (inferior) mixed candied fruit stuff from the grocery store.

There are also a number or traditional Irish cakes, like Porter Cake, that may be easier to get the haters to eat.

PORTER CAKE
(source: Malachi McCormick's "Irish Country Cooking")

1 c. unsalted butter
4 c. unbleached white flour
2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
3 c. dark raisins
1-1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. glace cherries
1/2 c. chopped blanched almonds
1/2 c. chopped mixed candied peel
4 eggs
1/2 c. Guinness at room temperature
1 t. baking soda, dissolved in a little Guinness

Preheat oven to 250-degrees F.

With your hands, rub the butter well into the flour, in a bowl. Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix well, using a wooden spoon. Beat together the eggs and the Guinness, and then stir in the baking soda solution. Stir this into the flour mixture and blend thoroughly.

Put mixture in a round 9-inch cake tin (I use a Bundt Pan because I think there is too much batter for one 9-inch pan) and cover with wax paper. Bake in the oven for about 3-hours (if using a Bundt Pan, bake 2-hours), until nicely browned. When done, turn it out on a wire rack to cool.

I have the Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery that I bought volume by volume at the grocery store when I was a junior at UC Davis living in an apartment off campus.

Here is a great DARK FRUITCAKE recipe. I don't put the candied citrus peel in it and have been known to add dried apricots (I use apricot as the jam the recipe calls for). I've also added cranberries, etc. I also don't put the fruit through a food chopper.Makes it much easier!

Be creative. This is the best fruitcake for fruitcake "haters"! it's super moist and is also good soaked in dark rum or brandy; if you do that, make this months in advance!
Kristi

Dark Fruitcake

1 box (15 ounces) seedless raisins
1 box (11 ounces) golden raisins
3/4 pound citron (I substitute dried apricots and other fruit)
1/2 pound candied cherries
1/2 pound lemon and orange rind (optional)
1/4 pound candied pineapple
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
2 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
5 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each cloves and mace
1/2 cup fruit juice
1 cup jam or preserves
Glaze
Candied pineapple, cherries, and angelica or citron for decorating

Force fruits through coarse blade of food chopper. Add nuts, and mix in
1 1/2 cups flour. Cream shortening until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and
molasses. Beat in eggs; add remaining flour, sifted with salt, soda and
spices; mix well. Stir in fruit and nuts, fruit juice and jam. Turn into
2 deep 9-inch tube pans, greased and wax-paper-lined. Bake in preheated
slow oven (275 degrees F) for about 3 1/2 hours. Cool slightly; remove
from pan, and peel off paper. Cool. Spread glaze over the cake, and
decorate with candied pineapple, cherries and angelica.

Glaze
Bring to a boil 1/2 cup light corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Cool. Makes
2/3 cup.

I make bara brith when I want a good fruitcake, has been pretty much a hit. That's mostly just raisins, but also can add currants and citron. Also, this "Lighter Fruit Cake" from Cooking Light magazine has been on my "to try" list but I haven't made it yet. It's a bundt version.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lighter Fruitcake recipe

The fruitcake that we really like is just one of the many versions out there of the 30-day Friendship Cake. This one is very much like mine (I'm not at home and I don't remember everything that goes into it). At the end of the 30 days you end up with not candied fruit (I dislike the candied fruit), but drunken fruit, as it has fermented over time. It makes a lot of cake, but that is good, since you can't make more until another 30 days has passed, LOL. I haven't made it for a few years, but I do recall NOT giving away any of the starter and just making a bunch of cakes in bundt or angel food cake pans, then cutting them into quarters and freezing them. I especially like the cake when I add coconut and macadamia nuts. Yummm! Okay, I guess I am going to make me some starter, starting tonight.

Here is a link that might be useful: 30-Day Friendship Cake

Try Alton Brown's Free-Range Fruitcake. None of the yucky candied things, but lots of nice dried fruits.

Ingredients

1 cup golden raisins
1 cup currants
1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
1/2 cup sun dried blueberries
1/2 cup sun dried cherries
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
1 cup gold rum
1 cup sugar
5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
4 whole cloves, ground
6 allspice berries, ground
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecans, broken
Brandy for basting and/or spritzing

Directions

Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.

Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.

Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.

When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

© 2014 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/free-range-fruitcake-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Here is a link that might be useful: Alton Brown's Free-Range Fruitcake

Yum! Thought no one would be interested this time of year, but am delighted to have these recipes as I know how fast time flies. Thanks so much for sharing. Pink

I was probably the only other person in my family who liked fruit cake... along with my grandmother. Way back then, it was that store-bought "brick" filled with unrecognizable dried fruit.

When "Good Eats" was still on, Alton Brown made something I THINK he referred to as "free range" fruitcake!?! It was NOT cheap to make. All the dried fruit was fairly expensive... dried cherries, blueberries, currants... not in same price range as RAISINS?!? All the fruit took a leisurely ride in a "hot tub" of liquid and BRANDY. I made mini loaves part of my holiday goodie basket. I got that LOOK when I said what they were, but nobody yucked my yum. I'm sure recipe wouldn't be hard to find.

I just posted the Free-Range Fruit cake recipe two posts above.

PWM, I make a Bourbon Pecan cake that most of my family loves.
No candied fruit except candied cherries
That you soak in Bourbon,
Along with golden raisins
for a few days before making the cake.
So it's not really a Fruit cake, per se,
But it is a Christmas tradition in my family.
It needs to be made at least six weeks before Christmas
So it can 'age' in Bourbon soaked cheesecloth.
If you are interested,
I will dig out the recipe and post it.
It's getting close to 'that time' anyhow.

Rusty

Please do, Rusty. Sounds interesting. Thanks.

Pink

Honestly - everyone likes this one - was my Grandmothers:

Fruit Cake

1 lb. walnuts (equates to 4 cups)
1 lb. dates
8 oz. maraschino cherries (drained)
1 ¼ cups sifted flour
¾ cup sugar
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
3 eggs separated
1 tsp. rum
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl: break walnuts into pieces by hand; chop dates and cherries. Dredge with small handful of flour to coat. Add sugar, egg yolks, rum, and vanilla. Mix well by folding.

Add sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well by folding.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Mix well into above ingredients by gently folding.

Pour into greased Bundt pan (can use angel food cake pan).

Bake for ~ 45 minutes; clean toothpick. Remove from pan when cool.

I have used the small loaf pans too when giving as a gift.

My original, pencil written, aged notebook paper recipe gives an oven temperature range of 325-350 degrees F. I have used 350 successfully.

This post was edited by LKZZ on Thu, Aug 14, 14 at 12:32

I bake Arkansas Fig Fruit Cake. It's an absolutely wonderful cake...moist and flavorful. I use fresh figs from my own trees but the recipe calls for dried ones. Here's the recipe for you.........

Here is a link that might be useful: Washington Post - Arkansas Fig Fruit Cake

Not sure just what's going on here,
I submitted this post several hours ago,
but it never showed up here.
Probably hit a wrong button or something.

Anyhow, PWM, I'm sorry it's taken me so long
to get back to you,
I've been a bit under the weather for a few days,
So everything around here is wa-a--ay behind.
But here's the aforementioned recipe:

Bourbon Pecan Cake

Ingredients:

2 C whole red candied cherries
2 C seedless white raisins
2 C Bourbon
2 C butter, softened
2 C granulated sugar
2 C dark brown sugar, firmly packed
8 eggs, separated
5 C sifted all-purpose flour
4 C pecan halves
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

Grease a 10 in tube pan, line with wax paper or parchment paper, grease and lightly flour the paper.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Combine cherries, raisins and bourbon in large mixing bowl. Cover tightly and let stand overnight in the refrigerator. (My note: This will be fine if left for several days. Once I left it for almost two weeks, no harm done).
Drain the fruit, reserve the bourbon.
Place butter in large bowl, beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add sugars gradually, beating on medium speed until well blended.
Combine 1/4 C of the flour with the pecan halves.
Sift remaining flour with the baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
Add 2 C of the flour to the creamed mixture, mix in thoroughly.
Add the reserved bourbon and the remaining flour alternately, ending with flour.
Beat well after each addition
Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry, fold them gently into the cake batter.
Fold the drained fruits and floured pecans into the cake batter, blending thoroughly.
Pour batter into prepared pan, to within 1 in of the top.
(If extra batter, bake in appropriately sized loaf pan, prepared the same as the tube pan.)
Bake tube pan 4 to 5 hours, and loaf pan about 2 hours, or until cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake!
Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 2 to 3 hours.

Remove cakes from pans, peel off the paper.
Wrap cakes in cheesecloth saturated with bourbon, then wrap in foil or plastic wrap and store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for several weeks. (I have found it needs at least 6 weeks ‘aging’ to fully develop flavor) Keep the cheesecloth damp with additional bourbon as needed..

A glaze can be made, using confectioner’s sugar mixed with enough bourbon to make it ‘pourable’.
Drizzle over cake sparingly!
Or simply dust cakes with powdered sugar before presenting!
If using the bourbon glaze, don’t serve to children.

Hopefully I can do it right this time, and it will post!

Rusty

Thanks to all who so kindly submitted yummy sounding recipes.
Hope you're feeling better by now therustyone. It's just like one of the forum's good cooks to bother to share even when feeling down. Take care.

Pink

Citron is the killer. Pecans, pineapple, cherries are optimal for a good fruitcake. More fruit, less cake. NO citron!

I don't have their recipe, but the best fruitcake in the world is sold below.

My ex and I used to buy it every Christmas, and everyone wants more! I just googled it because you reminded me to get one for this year.

If you can figure out the recipe, I'll be your friend for life!

Suzi

Here is a link that might be useful: Collin Street Bakery

I love citron. I can just eat it by itself.

Fruit cake in general....I'm not fond of, but I love this one. It is called Cherry Pineapple Cake but I have also seen it listed as White Fruitcake, although I have seen other variations also called White Fruitcake.

4 cups chopped nuts. (I use pecans or walnuts)
1 lb. candied pineapple
1 lb. candied cherries...I use half red, half green
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. pure lemon extract

Chop fruit and nuts and dredge with flour (I cut the cherries in half and cut the pineapple wedges in half.) Dredge with 1/4 cup of flour. (This takes a humongus bowl...even my largest pyrex bowl isn't big enough, but I have an extra, extra large glass mixing bowl that I use.)

Cream butter and sugar, and add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and baking powder and add to butter, sugar, and egg mixture. Stir in the vanilla and lemon extracts. Stir in fruit and nuts.

Pour into greased 10" tube pan or two loaf pans and put in cold oven, set at 250* and bake for two hours if using a tube pan and an hour and a half if using loaf pans.

I have made this cake 5 times....three times using a regular oven and twice in a Nesco...and it takes considerably longer to bake than the times given. So, I say bake it at 250* until the top is well set and it tests done.

marilyn_c, you may have nailed it for me. I'm going to try your recipe. I am not the OP, but I so want a recipe that duplicates that Collin St. Bakery one, and this sounds pretty good!

It doesn't have dates, and Collin St. Bakery does, but I guess you could add them, but you would probably have to cut down on the nuts or other fruit. I love this cake and everyone who has tried it, loves it. It is pineapples, cherries and nuts, held together by batter. Just remember, for me, it takes longer to cook than the time stated. Let me know how you like it.