thank you, Fay Patterson
'McCall's Famous Christmas Black Fruitcake.' I have been told repeatedly it is one of the best fruitcakes, by those who taste it, ever eaten.
I am sending the recipe as it was given to me;
Rosie says this can be baked in a 10-inch tube pan or two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. She also has used the smallest aluminum foil loaf pans with a yield of 6-8 cakes. "This size makes perfect gifts for neighbors and co-workers," she adds.
McCall's Famous Christmas Black Fruitcake
1/4 pound citron
1/2 pound candied cherries
1 pound candied pineapple
1 pound golden raisins
1/2 pound seeded raisins
1/4 pound currants
1/2 cup dark rum, brandy or sherry
1/4 pound blanched almonds
1/4 pound walnuts or pecans
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/8 pound candied lemon peel
1/8 pound candied orange peel
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/4 pound butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
To prepare fruits: Cut citron in very thin strips; cut cherries in half; cut pineapple in thin wedges.
Pick over raisins and currants and soak overnight in rum, brandy or sherry. Chop up nuts coarsely.
Grease and line pan or pans with brown paper. Set oven at 275 degrees.
Sift flour. Measure out 1/2 cup by spooning lightly into cup (do not pack or shake down), then mix it with the fruits and nuts in a large bowl. Sift remaining flour again with spices and soda onto wax paper.
Beat eggs slightly; mix milk and almond flavoring.
Cream butter or margarine until soft, with your hands. Gradually work in white sugar, then the brown sugar until fluffy. Stir in eggs, milk mixture and then flour. Mix thoroughly. Pour this batter over fruits and nuts mixture. Mix extremely well.
Using both hands, lift batter into pan. Press down firmly with your palm. Bake (see times below).
--For a 10-inch tube pan, fill with batter and bake 3 hours, 15 minutes.
--For 9x5x3-inch loaf pans, fill halfway with batter and bake 2 hours, 15 minutes.
Let stand 1 hour after coming from oven before turning out of pan. Then turn upside down on a wire rack and tear off paper.
When stone cold, put cake in crock or tin with sliced, unpeeled apples. Cover tightly and keep cool.
For a magnificent flavor, pour 1/2 cup rum, brandy or sherry over cake every 4 weeks.
Rosie's note: "I wrap cakes in bourbon-soaked cheesecloth, refreshing once a week, then wrap in waxed paper and aluminum foil. Keep in refrigerator to ensure smooth
Source: The New McCall's Cook Book
Copyright: 1963 -1973
BEST OF ALL FRUITCAKES
1 lb. golden raisins
1/2 lb. seeded raisins
1/4 lb. currants
1/2 cup dark rum or brandy
1 lb candied pineapple
1/2 lb. candied red cherries
1/4 lb candied citron
1/8 lb. candied lemon peel
1/8 lb. candied orange peel
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. mace
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 lb. almonds, shelled, blanched, and coarsely chopped
1/4 lb. walnuts or pecans, shelled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup butter or regular margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
5 eggs, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. almond extract
Rum or brandy
1 can (8oz.) almond paste
Frosting glaze
Aagelica
Candied red cherries
1) In large bowl, combine raisins and currants. Add 1/2 cup rum; toss to combine. Let stand, covered, overnight.
2) Next day, line a 10" tube pan. On heavy brown paper, draw an 18" circle, and cut out. Set pan in center of circle; draw around base of pan and tube. With pencil lines outside, fold paper into eights; snip off tip. Unfold circle; cut along folds to second circle. Grease both the tube pan and unpenciled side of paper well. Fit paper greased side up, into pan.
3) Prepare fruits: With sharp knife, cut pineapple in thin wedges; cut 1/2 lb. cherries in half; cut citron and lemon and orange peels into very thin strips. Add to raisins and currants; mix well.
4) On sheet of waxed paper, sift 1-1/2 cups flour with spices and baking soda. Set aside. Preheat oven to 275 F.
5) Combine remaining 1/2 cup flour with nuts and fruits; toss lightly.
6) In large bowl of electric mixer, at med. speed, beat butter until light. Gradually beat in granulated sugar, then brown sugar, beating until very light and fluffy.
7) Beat in eggs, milk, and almond extract until thoroughly combined.
8) At low speed, beat in flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Turn batter into fruit and nuts. Mix well with hands.
9) Turn into prepared pan, pressing batter down in pan evenly all around.
10) Bake 3 hours and 15 min. or until a cake tester inserted near center comes out dry.
11) Let cake stand in pan on wire rack 30 min. to cool slightly. Turn out of pan; gently remove paper. Let cool completely.
12) To store: Wrap cake in cheesecloth soaked in rum or brandy. Place in a cake tin with a tight-fitting cover. Add a few pieces of raw, unpeeled apple. (As cheesecloth dries out, resoak in rum or brandy.) Store in a cool place several weeks.
13) To decorate cake for serving: Roll almond paste between 2 sheets of waxed paper into an 8" circle. Remove top sheet of paper. Invert paste onto cake; remove paper. With sharp knife, trim edge of paste; then press paste to cake. Spread paste with frosting glaze, letting it run down side of cake. Cut angelica into thin slices. Cut cherries in half. Decorate cake.
Makes a 5 lb. fruitcake.
Source: The New McCall's Cook Book
Copyright: 1963 -1973
Category: Desserts, Cakes
=========================================
HOLIDAY WHITE FRUITCAKE
"Store in refrigerator at least 4 weeks to develop flavor."
FOR THE FRUIT MIXTURE:
1 pound blanched whole almonds
8 ounces candied red cherries (2 jars)
4 ounces candied green cherries (1 jar)
8 ounces candied citron (2 jars)
8 ounces diced candied pineapple (2 jars)
4 ounces diced candied orange peel (1 jar)
1/2 pound golden raisins
1/2 cup all-purpose flour; unsifted
FOR THE WHITE BATTER:
1 1/4 cups soft butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; sifted
FOR SOAKING THE CAKE:
cheesecloth
sherry or brandy
FOR THE TOPPING (OPTIONAL):
8 ounces almond paste (1 can)
candied cherries; for garnish
candied angelica; for garnish
FOR THE ICING (OPTIONAL):
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar; sifted
2 tablespoons butter or margarine; melted
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
TO PREPARE THE PAN:
Line a 10-inch tube pan: On a piece of brown paper, draw an 18-inch circle and cut it out. Set pan in center of circle; draw around base of pan and tube. With pencil lines outside, fold paper circle into eighths. Snip off tip. Unfold circle. Cut along folds just to second circle. Grease both the pan and paper well. Fit the paper, greased side up, into tube pan.
TO PREPARE THE FRUIT MIXTURE:
With a very sharp knife, coarsely cut up almonds. Cut cherries in half. In a very large bowl, combine nuts, fruits, and 1/2 cup unsifted flour; mix well.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
TO MAKE THE WHITE BATTER:
In large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light, about 5 minutes. Add salt. Then add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat until light and fluffy.
Mix the milk, 1/4 cup sherry, and the almond extract. At low speed, alternately blend into sugar-egg mixture the sifted flour (in fourths) and the milk and sherry mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour. Beat only until blended. Pour batter over fruit mixture. With hands or spoon, mix until well combined. Turn into prepared tube pan, packing firmly.
Bake cake 3 hours, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan one hour. Remove from pan; invert on rack and peel off paper. Cool completely.
Soak a large piece of cheesecloth in 1/3 cup sherry or brandy. Use it to wrap fruitcake. Overwrap in plastic film or foil. Store in refrigerator at least 4 weeks to develop flavor. Resoak cheesecloth in booze as needed.
BEFORE SERVING, IF DESIRED, DECORATE AS FOLLOWS:
Between two sheets of waxed paper, roll 1 (8-ounce) can almond paste into an 8-inch circle; remove top sheet of paper. Invert almond paste onto top of cake; remove paper. With sharp knife, trim edge. Press paste to cake.
Combine 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar, 2 Tablespoons melted butter or margarine, 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; mix until smooth. Spoon over almond paste. With small spatula, smooth icing, letting it drip down sides of cake.
Garnish the cake with candied cherries and angelica.
Makes one 10-inch