I happened to be sifting through old computer files today and found two recipes I had saved from the old fruitcake posts. RE: Church of the Besotted Fruitcake * Posted by: Readinglady z8 OR (My Page) on Sat, Oct 8, 05 at 22:29 Here's the recipe from that thread with her comments. (We actually ended up with two lengthy fruitcake threads, as I remember.) I don't think we've heard from Mrs. Bartholomew for a while. Hopefully she returns as fruitcake season moves into full swing. "Here is the recipe I use for Christmas fruitcake - more or less, anyway, because I tend to use different types and proportions of fruits and nuts each year. I candy my own pineapple, angelica, and cherries, but you can use store-bought and give them a good rinse to get the extra sugar off before you use them. Makes two large loaves. 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 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 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). 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. 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. Let them rest on a rack until they've cooled to room temperature. 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. 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." I can see I need to buy the ingredients soon. Just reading the recipe makes my mouth water. Carol ============================ It's Fruitcake Time Again! Posted by gardengrl Orlando (My Page) on Thu, Oct 6, 05 at 9:03 Hi Everyone, If you remember last year at this time, the Harvest forum had quite a thread going on fruitcakes. Well, last year I made two versions from posted recipes and they were the BEST! I call them "rum cakes" in order to avoid the fruitcake stigma. :-) I made my cakes in October (both a dark cake and a yellow cake), refridgerated them (since I'm in the south), and "basted" them every week with whatever version of alcohol I wanted. They were a hit during Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, go raid your liquor cabinet gang; it's fruitcake time! Here are two recipes from last year; both recipes make 2 fruitcake loaves when baked in a typical loaf pan. I've modified my versions a little from the original recipes. Dark Fruitcake Approximately 25 ounces of golden raisins (add more or less to your preference) 2 cups coarsly chopped walnuts or pecans 2 1/4 cups sifted, all purpose flour 1 cup shortening (I used butter) 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup molasses 5 eggs 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp each, cloves and mace (nutmeg) 1/2 cup orange juice 1 cup blackberry jam or preserves Optional: Place raisins and nuts in a glass bowl or pan and cover with dark rum or brandy. Allow to soak 24 hours. Drain and reserve the used liquor when finished. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Mix flour with salt, baking soda, and spices, set aside. Cream shortening or butter until fluffy; Gradually add sugar and molasses. Beat in eggs, add flour mixture in increments until well mixed. Stir in raisins, nuts, orange juice and jam. Line loaf pans with parchment paper. Spray parchment with non-stick spray. Pour batter evenly into two loaf pans and bake approximately 3 1/2 hours (or until toothpick inserted comes out clean). It really depends on how deep you pour the batter. When done, take cakes out of oven, allow to cool for approximately 5-10 minutes. Invert loaf pans, remove cakes, and allow to cool on cooling racks. When cool, take a toothpick and poke holes into the top and bottom of fruitcake. Baste fruitcake with raisin infused rum/brandy, allowing liquor to soak into holes. If your in the south, place cakes in an airtight container and store in the fridge. If up north in a cool environment, wrap cakes in wax paper followed by tin foil, and store in a cool place. Baste cakes with raisin liquor or other dark liquor every week until the holidays. Yellow Fruitcake White rum: optional 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of candied or dried fruit. I use a "harvest mixture" of dried fruit from Sams, which includes dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried strawberris, and dried blueberries. 1/2 pound of nuts (your choice, more or less nuts to your preference) 1 pound unsalted butter, softened 2 1/4 cups sugar 6 large eggs 4 cups of white cake flour (not self rising) 1/4 cup lemon extract Warm rum in a saucepan or microwave until it is just about to boil. If you don't want alcohol, feel free to use a juice of your choice. Place fruit and nuts in a large bowl or pan and pour hot rum/liquid over. Soak overnight, drain fruit and reserve the used liquor when finished. Preheat oven 300 degrees Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in half the eggs, then half the flour, then the rest of the eggs, then the rest of the flour. Add lemon extract. Stir in soaked fruit and nuts. Line 2 loaf pans with parchment paper. Spray paper with non-stick spray. Pour batter evenly into both pans. Bake cakes uncovered for 45 minutes, then cover with tin foil and bake another 45 minutes. Watch carefully near the end of cooking time; as soon as the cakes start to pull away from the edges of the pans, or resist when you poke them gently, they are ready. It's better to underbake than overbake. Remove cakes from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes. Invert loaf pans, remove cakes, and allow to completely cool on cooling racks. Follow basting and storing process as listed for the dark cakes (basting with alcohol optional, you can use fruit juice). Use the reserved dried fruit infused liquor for basting. I alternate basting with Grand Mariner (sp?) every week.

I bought myself a real tiny rectangle piece of fruitcake from my brother's grocery store after Christmas when it was on sale and it wasn't very good. I love fruitcake but the closest I got to it this year was the plum pudding I had the other night. Stores around here don't carry good fruitcake. Some organizations have cakes you can order but I am always too late and they are sold out. Anne who is still on the hunt for a piece of fruitcake especially if it is homemade! Anne

Thanks Daisy - I didn't realize that there was such a spice mixture available in the UK and Australia. Perhaps I'll see some of it next time I go to the English import shop here. Diane, I would use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves if you didn't want to grind them as Daisy has suggested. Here's an English website that sells that mixed spice and lists the ingredients they use. I've haven't seen this type of cake done in a loaf pan. It might not turn out as moist in that shaped pan. I made my smaller cakes in round tins as well - about 6 inches across. As I remember I did 6, 8 and 10 inch round cakes, not all on the same day and used with inserted paper sides higher than the pan as per the recipe. I'm sure the times should be shortened if you're using smaller cake tins.. Darn - I'm kicking myself for not making careful notes last time I made these cakes. I have a notebook where I keep all my Christmas recipes and cooking experiences from year to year but didn't think to make notes in it when I was making Christmas cakes. I know that I used a metal skewer to test for doneness. I have a fan oven so I normally reduce cooking times for most things. I guess you just have to try it once and keep an eye on them as you wouldn't want them too dry or underdone. SharonCb

What's your favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Carol - black and white version starring Alaisar Sim What's your most hated Christmas movie? Not one specifically - just the real sappy ones that make you want to gag What's your favorite Christmas song? Have Yourself a Merry Litle Christmas - it makes me cry What's your most hated Christmas song? The Little Drummer boy What's your favorite Christmas story? The Christmas story from the New Testament KJV What's your most hated Christmas story? Don't really have one What's your favorite Christmas goodie (food)? Christmas plum pudding - served after dinner with a foamy egg and brandy sauce, followed by coffee and cognac! What's your most hated Christmas goodie (food)? Can't think of anything at the moment What's your favorite Christmas gift to give? Something that I know the person really wants What's your most hated Christmas gift to give? Something that is given for the sake of giving a gift. When you don't have a clue what to get for someone or what they would like - know what I mean? What's your favorite Christmas gift to receive? Books, $$$, gift certificate for my favourite store What's your most hated Christmas gift to receive? A gift that is just given for the sake of giving a gift What's your favorite Christmas tradition? Candlelight service at church on Christmas Eve and then Christmas dinner with my family on Christmas Day What's your most hated Christmas tradition? I don't really hate any of my Christmas traditions - if I don't want to do it, I just don't do it.