INGREDIENTS:

 

1 cup dried Pineapple                                1 cup dried Pears

1 ¼ cup Nuts                                             1 cup dried Apples

1 cup dried Peaches                                   1 cup Currants

1 ½ cup Golden Raisins                              1 cup Candied Cherries

3/8 cup Fruit Juice *                                   ½ Tbsp. Orange & Lemon Zest

OR ANY COMBINATION OF DRIED OR CANDIED FRUITS AND/OR NUTS TO EQUAL 10 CUPS

 

 

2 ½ cups sifted Flour                                  1cup Butter

¾ tsps. Salt                                               1 cup Granulated Sugar

¾ tsps. Salt                                               ½ cup Brown Sugar

1 ½ tsps. Baking Powder                            5 Eggs

1 ½ tsps. Cinnamon                                  1 ½ tsps. Vanilla

1 tsp. Cloves

½  tsp. Allspice

½ tsp. Mace

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

1. Coarsely chop the nuts.  (Use the steel blade in the food processor) and pour into a LARGE mixing bowl.
2. In individual batches, coarsely chop the pineapple, peaches, apples and pear.  Add 2-4 Tbsps. of the Granulated Sugar or the Flour called for in the recipe to prevent the fruits from sticking together.

 

• PROCESS THE INGREDIENTS IN STEPS ONE AND TWO, USING THE PULSE ACTION TO PREVENT OVERPROCESSING!

 

1. Place all the Fruits, including the Raisins and Currants in the bowl with the nuts.  Toss together to distribute evenly.  Add the Candied Cherries.
2.  Instead of the Fruit Juice, process a whole Orange as follows:  Remove the peel in quarter sections;  remove the white membrane from the peel.  Cut the quarter sections into fourths and process with the steel knife until completely liquefied.  Strain into a measuring cup.  If there is not sufficient quantity of juice add water or brandy or Gran Marnier to reach the proper level.  (You can use up to a full cup of liquid)
3. Add 1 ½ tsps. of the peel to the tossed fruit.  Reserve the remaining peel for later use.
4. Add the Juice to the Fruit and toss.
5. If Lemon Peel is desired along with the Orange Peel, zest a small round lemon, using the fine shredding blade.  Use very little pressure.    Add the Zest to the  Fruit mixture.
6. Let the Fruits stand (or overnight) while preparing the rest of the ingredients for the cake.
7. Grease and line 2 medium-sized loaf pans or an 8-inch tube pan with waxed paper or baker’s parchment.  (The parchment is preferable)    
8. Grease the paper lined pans.
9. Sift the  Flour, Salt, Baking Powder and Spices together.
10. Using the steel knife, cream the Butter with the Sugars.  Add the Eggs and process until well mixed.   Add the Vanilla and Pulse once more.
11. Add the Flour and Pulse until well-mixed.  (No flour will be visible)
12. Add the Cake Batter to the Fruit and mix with a large spoon unti all the Fruit is well distributed throughout the Batter.
13. Pour into the greased,paper-lined pans.  Smooth the tops and decorate with additional cherries and/or nuts if desired.
14. Bake in a slow oven (275 degrees) for  1 ½ – 2 hours.  Test for doneness with cake tester.
15. Let cool for about 20 minutes before removing from pans.  Peel off paper while still warm.

YIELD – Approximately 5 lbs. Of Fruit Cake

 

For 10 lbs of Fruit Cake, double all the ingredients.  Place all the fruits and nuts together in one very large bowl.

 

Divide the rest of the ingredients in half and process in 2 batches.  Pour both batches of cake batter over all the fruit and mix together as for the single batch.

 

For more than 10 lbs. Of Fruitcake, process in separate batches as the size bowl required would be impossible to find and mixing would be very difficult.

 

The fruit for all your fruitcakes may be processed all at once;  just place the fruits (divided into equivalent portions) in separate bowls and use as needed.  DO NOT PROCESS MORE THAN YOU ARE GOING TO USE THE SAME DAY.