White Jewelled Fruitcake

I have been searching for a white fruitcake for many years and think that I may have found the recipe. This recipe was one my mom had made on the farm, shared it with others, but when she lost this recipe, she could never get a copy back from her friends! 

I knew from her what went into the cake; whole red and green cherries, crushed pineapple, golden raisins. almond flavour and coconut and that it came from a small recipe booklet by Red Rose Flour. 

Margaret Ullrich posted a recipe for 

 Light Fruitcake after I had written to find out if she had a recipe for a white fruitcake recipe with crushed pineapple.  I also found a similar recipe in a cookbook but out by Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Holy Family in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I have modified the two recipe and the only glazed fruit I used were the Red and Green cherries, the rest is dried fruit; apricots, cranberries, golden raisins, crystallized ginger.  

White Fruitcake

Prepare two loaf pans. 

Line with two layers of parchment/wax paper

         

Preheat oven to 365°F 
Bake 2 3/4 to 3 hours, with a bowl of hot water in the oven. 

Drain over a large measuring cup (you want to save the juice)

• 1 can crushed pineapple

If necessary, add enough water to make 1/2 cup (125 mL) of liquid.

Mix together in a large bowl

• 3 c golden raisins 
• 1 c chopped mixed peel or citron
• 1/2 c candied red cherries, halved
• 1/2 c candied green cherries, halved
• 1  c coconut(Opt)
• 1 c dried apricot, chopped into slivers
• 1c dried apples
• 1 c brazil nuts, left whole 

Marinade in 1/3 c of liquor for a couple of days! 




Sprinkle with 

• 1/2 Cup (125 mL) flour 

Toss until all the fruit is well dusted. 

Sift together in a medium bowl the flour mixture

• 2 1/2 c flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

In large bowl cream

• 1 c butter, room temperature

While creaming the butter gradually add

• 1 c sugar

Mix until light and fluffy.

Add, one at a time, beating well after each addition

• 5 medium eggs

Then add

• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• lemon rind
• the reserved pineapple and 1/2 cup pineapple juice

Stir well.

Add 1/4 of the flour mixture and stir just until mixed.  

Make 3 more flour mixture additions, stirring just until mixed after each one.

Stir in dusted fruit.

Turn batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. 

Bake at 365°F for 2 3/4 to 3 hours.

A skewer inserted in centre should come out clean. 
Poke holes in the cake and pour favourite liquor over the top.
Cool cake in pan on a rack for 30 minutes. 

Turn out onto rack to cool completely. 

Wrap in Parchment paper and then aluminium foil 
Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

A total of 7 cups of dried fruit was prepared and marinated in 1/3 cup of rum for a couple of days.

Christmas Day Dinner past!

• This photo has generated a lot of messages from my brother. He remembers building the red willow crib by the tree with our Dad.

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  This is a picture of Christmas past; check out the slices of baked ham with radish roses, a raisin sauce would have been served hot in a gravy bowl is on the stove kept hot, cheese stuffed celery with pimento olives, cranberry sauce, a three tiered crystal serving dish with assorted desserts along with a plate of white fruit cake. In the oven would be side dishes, cabbage rolls and pyrohies to be served piping hot along with mashed potatoes and gravy. 

  
  

  All the side dishes would be added to the table to be served hot after grace. A steam pudding with a brown sugar sauce would finish the meal. My menu is very similar to my Mom's. Got to love tradition! Do notice that there are no wine glasses on the table, serving wine was not the norm. Orange Pekoe Tea would have been served with the desserts! 

  
  

  By the fresh spruce tree is a birch wood candle holder that my dad made and my mom decorated with fresh spruce and red ribbon and red candles yearly.  Yes, that is holly on the table. A bowls of oranges and nuts are also on the coffee table.. Not sure where that box of chocolates is!

My mom always sliced the turkey in the kitchen before plating it on a large platter along with the dressing. 

This was a new red dress that my mom had bought for me for Christmas and wanted a picture of me in it. 

Check out the black phone on the end table by the couch.

The Christmas tree is a fresh spruce that my Dad would have chopped on his farm.