Sure do....but this is very different than most.....not much cake...mostly fruit.
Fruit cake....makes 1 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf
1 1/2 c. shelled whole brazil nuts

1 1/2 walnut halves ( I use 3/4 c walnuts and 3/4 c. pecans)
Actually I cup way down on the brazil nuts and substitute a mix of hazel nuts walnute pecans and almonds to make a totao of 3 cups of nuts.

1 c. pitted dates.

1 c. candied orange peel ( I also, substitute some candied pineapple for
some of the orange peel)

1/2 c red marischino cherries, drained a long time!!

1/2 c green marischino cherries...NOT the mint flavored kind!! also drained ...and I sometimes sub 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots for the green cherries.

1/2 c white sultana raisins

3/4 c sifted flour

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Mix fruit and nuts. mix dry ingredients and sift over the fruit and nuts,
tossing to coat evenly. Beat eggs until light and fluffy, add vanilla, and
add to the fruit mix, tossing to mix but gently!!
Butter a loaf pan ( actually you should have done this before you started!)
line it with parchment and butter the parchment. Place mixture in pan,
pressing down to eliminate air bubbles and bake 300deg. for 1/1/2 to 1 3/4
hrs....test with a toothpick. I soak with brandy and wrap in cheese cloth
and foil and a plastic bag and store in the refrig. for at least a month.
Keeps for years as long as you replenish the brandy from time to time to
keep it from molding!
Of course you can save some of the nut halves to decorate the top before
baking if you want to be fancy schmancy.

Oh MY!!!! So sorry you lost your Mom's recipe box!

I made Fruitcake this year for the first time and below is the recipe I used and my substitutions for a Dark Fruitcake. Even though I'm trying this recipe for the first time it is T&T many times over and highly recommended.

Christmas fruitcake (Mrs. Bartholomew)

1/2 to 3/4 litre white rum
1 pound candied cherries (substitute angelica for a handful of the cherries, if you have it)
3/4 pound candied pineapple
1/4 pound candied citrus peel
1 pound large sultanas raisins
1/2 pound blanched whole almonds
1/2 pound walnut halves
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
2 and 1/4 cups of sugar
6 large eggs
4 cups of white cake flour (not self-raising)
1/4 cup lemon extract

1. Warm 1/2 litre of the rum until it seems just about to boil, and immediately remove it from the heat. Soak the cherries, pineapple, citrus peel, sultanas, angelica and nuts in the rum overnight. Strain, reserving the rum, and set the fruits and nuts aside in a very large mixing bowl.

(You don't have to heat the rum up if it's too much trouble, but it soaks into the fruit much better if it's warm).

2. Beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in half of the eggs, then half the flour, then the rest of the eggs, then the rest of the flour, then the lemon extract. Pour the batter over the fruit and nuts and stir well.

3. If your loaf pans are non-stick, just butter them. I use a stick of butter like a crayon to do this. Otherwise, line with buttered parchment paper. Scrape the batter into the pans. Bake in a preheated 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes, then cover the pans with foil and bake for another 45 minutes. Watch carefully near the end of the cooking time; as soon as the cakes start to pull away from the edges, or resist when you poke them gently, they are ready. It is better to underbake than overbake.

4. Let them rest on a rack until they've cooled to room temperature.

5. When the cakes have cooled but are still in the tins, carefully poke several holes through each loaf with a long, thin skewer. Heat the reserved rum - again not letting it quite boil - and drizzle it over the cakes. If the fruit and nuts soaked up most of the rum, add another 1/4 litre of rum before heating it. Leave it for 15 minutes so that the rum will more or less soak through the cakes, although some may still remain in the bottom of the tins when you remove the cakes.

6. Wrap each cake carefully for storage. If you have large enough linen pudding-bags, you can lightly moisten these with rum and slip a cake inside each one. Otherwise, you can wrap the cakes in the brown paper they were baked in, which should be thoroughly permeated with the rum. Whether you've used cloth or brown paper, wrap the cakes in another layer of plastic wrap or tuck them into a plastic bag for further protection.

The longer you leave the cakes before serving, the better. If you won't be able to resist tasting, pour a little of the batter into a ramekin to bake it separately and eat it while you're wrapping the other two cakes."

For the Dark Fruitcake I could not find a recipe I liked so adapted the above and made my own recipe. The batter for the dark fruitcake was delicious so I have no doubt that the finished cake will be too.

Dark Fruit Cake

1/2 to 3/4 litre white rum
1 pound candied cherries (substitute angelica for a handful of the cherries, if you have it)
3/4 pound candied pineapple
1/4 pound candied citrus peel
1 pound large sultanas raisins
1/2 pound blanched whole almonds
1/2 pound walnut halves
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
2 cups of sugar
5 large eggs
4 cups of white cake flour (not self-raising)
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 orange juice
1 tsp cinnamon (you can add more cinnamon if you like)
1/4 tsp nugmeg

1.Warm 1/2 litre of the rum until it seems just about to boil, and immediately remove it from the heat. Soak the cherries, pineapple, citrus peel, sultanas, angelica and nuts in the rum overnight. Strain, reserving the rum, and set the fruits and nuts aside in a very large mixing bowl.

(You don't have to heat the rum up if it's too much trouble, but it soaks into the fruit much better if it's warm).

2. Beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in 3 eggs, then half the flour, then the rest of the eggs, then the rest of the flour, then molasses, OJ, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour the batter over the fruit and nuts and stir well.

Continue from Step #3 in first recipe.

I made my fruitcakes around the first week in October and have been basting them with brandy once a week since then. However, I did just buy some Peach and Cherry Brandies and I am going to baste the cakes with the new brandies next week. Peach for the white and cherry for the dark.

You might want to try looking for Fruitcake Recipes over on the Harvest Forum too.

Michelle

Here is a link that might be useful: Harvest Forum

Oh no! What a terrible loss! I lost about 200 of my favorite recipes when my comuter died back in 2000. The one that really broke my heart was the carrot cake recipe that was our wedding cake.

Michelle, I am eyeballing that dark fruitcake recipe. I asm not a fan of rum...having tasted the batter, do you think another kind of alcohol could be subbed?

The Dark Fruit Cake batter was SOoooooo good, I kept tasting it and tasting it.

But you could probably soak the nuts and fruit in just about anything. A good whiskey would work very well. I used white rum because we had almost a party sized bottle of it and neither Joe or I like it. I chose to ferment the cakes in brandy, peach brandy, cherry brandy and Grand Marnier. So with the weekly doses of brandy, the rum will hardly be noticed.

The nuts and fruit really do soak up the liquor. I don't think I had a cup of rum left over after the 24 hour soaking period.

And one important thing I forgot to add is the recipes make more then just 2 cakes!! Between the 2 recipes I made 3 full loaf cakes and about 15-5" mini cakes.

I've got fruitcake coming out the yazoo here and my laundryroom, which is where the cakes are fermenting, smells just like a bar!

I wrapped my cakes in aluminum foil and then placed them in flat tupperware type containers. Walmart has Cupcake Carrier's for about $4 that are working out very well and they stack so storage is not a problem.

Michelle

Thanks. If they suck up enough rum that I don't have any left after making it, that would be good. But I think maybe whiskey would be better since I can think of LOTS to do with leftover whiskey.

I used to like rum, but as I get older, I like it less and less (and, no, it has nothing to do with a bad experience with overindulgence. LOL!)

I used to make this every year for Christmas and it was so very good.....and I topped it with marzipan and hard royal icing as were Christmas cakes years ago.
It's the same type of rich and full fruitcake that was traditionally used for wedding cakes.

CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE

1 lb flour (4 cups)
3/4 lb butter (1 3/4 cups)
1/2 lb soft brown or castor sugar
1 lb sultanas (2 2/3 cups)
1 lb currants (2 2/3 cups)
6 oz chopped mixed peel (1 cup)
1/4 lb glaccherries chopped (2/3 cup)
6 large eggs

1/4 lb almonds (1 cup)
1 teasp grated orange rind
1 TBS black treacle (molasses)
1 level teasp baking powder
1/2 teasp mixed spice
1 wineglass (or more) of brandy

1. Sieve the flour with the baking powder, spice and a pinch of salt.

2. Blanch the almonds and finely chop; chop the peel or put through a mincer; quarter the cherries.

3. Put the butter into a bowl and warm it slightly; beat with a wooden spoon. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, using a level dessertspoon of flour as each egg is added. Then stir in the treacle (molasses).

4. Add half the rest of the flour, all the fruit, almonds and orange rind. Put the other half of the flour on top, stir and mix well but do not beat. Put in the brandy. If the mixture seems too stiff, add a little milk - the mixture should drop easily from a spoon.

5. Prepare a cake tin about 10 inches in diameter, grease the tin then line with buttered grease-proof paper high enough to come 2 to 3 inches above the top of the tin.

6. Put in the cake mixture, slightly press in the centre to make the cake rise evenly and stand the cake on a layer of coarse crushed salt on a baking tin (or cookie sheet). This will prevent the bottom becoming too brown before the cake is cooked.

7. Have the oven preheated at Gas4, electricity 350F. Put the cake not higher than the centre of the oven - just below if possible. Lower the heat at once to Gas2, electricity 300F for one hour, then lower the heat to Gas 1, electricity 275F. The cake will take from 5 to 6 hours to cook. Test with a warmed fine skewer or knitting needle after 5 hours.

8. After removing from the oven leave it in the tin for half an hour, then turn out onto wire rack, remove the paper. After about 12 hours, wrap in double sheets of greaseproof paper and store in a tin with tightly fitting lid until required for icing.
If preferred, the cake can be baked at Gas 3, electricity 325F for 1 hour, then turned to Gas 1 electricity 275F for the rest of the time.

Source: The Margaret Powell Cookery Book - London 1970.

***************

ICING THE CAKE: - in two stages
---------------------------

ALMOND PASTE (Marzipan)

12 oz ground almonds (3 cups)
6 oz castor sugar (3/4 cup) (or fine fruit sugar)
6 oz sieved icing sugar (1 1/2 cups)
3 egg whites
few drops almond essence
3 TBS apricot jam, sieved

ROYAL ICING - (three days later)

4 egg whites
2 lbs icing sugar, sieved (7 to 8 cups)
4 teasp lemon juice
2 teasp glycerine

1. Mix almonds and sugar in a bowl, then blend in egg whites and almond essence to make a soft paste. Knead until it is smooth, then divide into three equal portions.

2. Roll one piece onto a sugared board to an 8-inch circle. Roll remaining two-thirds to a strip the same depth as cake, and long enough to go all the way around the edge..

3. Brush the sides of cake with apricot jam. Press long strip around sides and press firmly to join. Place circle of paste on top of cake. Allow to dry for at least three days before icing.

4. Whisk egg whites for royal icing until they become frothy. Add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and beat well after each addition. Finally beat in lemon juice and glycerine. To prevent the icing hardening, cover bowl with a damp cloth.

5. Spread icing thickly over top and round sides of cake and smooth flat. Leave for a day to set and then decorate with red ribbon around sides.

Tip: Using glycerine in the icing ensures that it is not hard. The lemon juice adds flavour and helps tp make a softer icing.

Source: Hamlyn All Colour Cook Book
London - 1970.

For an easier and softer icing: Buy ready made marzipan, apply it and then top with purchased rolled fondant icing.
It's softer and easier than royal icing.

SharonCb

I used to make this one for my ex-partner who died last year. He used to love it. It was a real sacrifice for me to make it for him every year - I loathe and detest fruit cake (can't stand little dead black flies in my food!) and the smell used to permeate the whole house.

You can use any dried fruits in this one - he liked figs and prunes in it, so I added those too (quantities aren't all that vital to stick to - maybe add a cup or so more than the measurements given in the recipe). I used to toss in a few nuts as well.

Once it was cooked and cooled, I used to poke holes in it all over with a skewer, and pour in a few tablespoons rum and/or brandy. I'd repeat this every few days for about a month, keeping it in the fridge wrapped in foil. It's a good way of preserving a Christmas cake, and it used to last him quite a while. He did not like icing, so I simply put a few whole almonds on the top, decoratively, before baking.

Beginner's Christmas Cake
1 cup water
112g butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup currants
1 cup sultanas
1 cup dates or raisins
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup plain flour
2 eggs

Boil together the water, butter, sugar and fruit for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, add the beaten eggs and flour sifted with the soda and mixed spice. Turn into a 20cm square cake tin (greased and lined) and bake at 200°C for 75-90 minutes. Place a layer of brown paper loosely over the top of cake for the last half of cooking time.

I made this recipe yesterday and HAD to give it a little taste. It made 3 good sized loaves and one of them is almost gone! LOL! Between my DH, my neighbor and me we have managed to eat a little mroe than half of it.

Kentucky Bourbon Cake
2 cups Bourbon
1/2 lb golden raisins
1 lb red candied cherries, halved ****
3 sticks butter
1 lb granulated sugar (2 1/4 cups)
6 eggs, separated
1 lb light brown sugar (2 1/4 cups)
2 tsp nutmeg (grated)
1 tsp baking powder
5 cups sifted flour
1 lb pecans, chopped
more bourbon to soak cake
Pour 2 cups bourbon or whiskey over raisins & cherries
Soak in covered container 48 hours.
Before mixing in cake, drain well, reserve bourbon.
Soften butter at room temperature & cream until light
Add granulated sugar, beat until fluffy.
Beat egg yolks until very light, than add brown sugar.
Beat well to dissolve sugar.
In a very large bowl, combine the 2 sugar mixtures & blend well.
Mix nutmeg & baking powder with 4-1/2 cups flour.
Mix other 1/2 cup flour with nuts.
Add flour mixture alternately with bourbon to sugar/butter/egg mixture, mixing well after each addition.
Add soaked fruit, fold in, then add the nuts & fold in.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter until evenly distributed.
Pour in greased 10" tube pan lined with greased brown grocery bag.
Place pan of water in bottom of oven.
Bake 4-5 hrs. at 275°. Watch baking time as ovens vary
Test with toothpick about 2" from outer edge of cake. May take longer than 5 hrs.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 min. before turning out.
When almost cool, sponge sides & inside hole heavily with bourbon-saturated cheesecloth.
Cover cake with this cloth, then in plastic wrap
Let set overnight & saturate again.
Recover tightly with plastic wrap.
Store for at least 2 weeks - preferably more.

My Notes **** I used more than just cherries and it was about 3 lbs total of candied fruit. I think I used a pineapple, and a mixed (no citron) container.

I remember my mother making fruitcakes when I was little. She would use brown paper bags to line her bread pans. And she would also brush brandy on the loaves everday for a number of days and then let it sit there for a number of days. I don't know her recipe, but here's one that is good. (I know my mom's had a lot of fruit in it too!)

Nova Scotia Black Fruitcake

1 (10-inch) tube cake, or 2 loaf cakes

1 lb candied pineapple, shredded
1 lb golden raisins
1/2 lb seeded raisins
1/2 lb candied cherries, halved
4 ounces candied citron, coarsely chopped
4 ounces currants
2 ounces candied lemon peel, coarsely chopped
2 ounces candied orange peel, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dark rum, cognac or sherry
4 ounces almonds, blanched and shredded
4 ounces walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 lb butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
5 eggs

Mix fruits. Add rum, cover and let stand overnight.

Preheat oven to 275 F. Grease one 10-inch tube pan or two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Line with wax paper and grease the paper.

Combine fruits, nuts and 1/2 cup flour.

Sift together remaining flour, mace, cinnamon and baking powder. Mix milk with almond extract.

Cream butter until smooth, adding sugars gradually. Add eggs, mix well and add the milk mixture. Add flour mixture; mix well.

Pour batter over the fruits and nuts and mix thoroughly. Fill pans and press batter down firmly.

Bake tube cake about 4 hours, loaves about 3 hours. Let cakes stand 30 minutes. Turn out onto a rack and peel off the paper.

Wrap cooled cakes in cheesecloth soaked in the rum. Place in a crock or deep kettle and cover tightly. As the cloth dries, dribble a little of the same liquor over it. Let ripen 1 month before frosting with a layer of each of the following two frostings. When dry, spread the milk frosting evenly with confectioners' sugar icing.

Almond Paste

(Frosts 1 (10-inch) tube cake or 2 loaf pans)

1 lb almonds, blanched
1 lb sifted confectioners' sugar
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp almond extract

Grind almonds fine. Add remaining ingredients; mix thoroughly. Spread over the cake. Let dry.

Milk Frosting

(Frosts 1 (10-inch) tube cake or 2 loaf pans)

1 tsp butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp almond extract

Cook butter, sugar, corn syrup and milk to 234 F degrees, stirring. Cool. Add almond extract and beat until of a soft fudge consistency. Spread over almond paste. Let dry.

Confectioners' Sugar Icing

(About 1/2 cup)

Mix 4 teaspoons water with 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar. Add 1/4 teaspoon of any desired flavouring.

Caliloo,I'm so glad you posted the Kentucky Bourbon Cake...it's my favorite. The recipe was originally given to me by my first boss's mother who was 83 at the time way back in the 70's. She was special to me so it brings back nice memories And...I'm a Kentuckian. :)

Pam