81. FRUIT CAKE.--In the preparations for Christmas festivities, fruit cake usually has an important place. But besides being very appropriate cake for the holiday season, fruit cake is a splendid cake to make because of its keeping qualities. It may be kept for a long time if it is properly cared for. The best plan is to wrap it in oiled paper and then put it away in a closely covered receptacle, such as a tin box. In fact, fruit cake is much better if it is baked a month before it is to be eaten and is moistened several times during that time by pouring over it and allowing to soak in a few teaspoonfuls of orange juice or diluted grape juice.
FRUIT CAKE
- 3/4 c. raisins
- 1/2 c. milk
- 3/4 c. currants
- 2 c. flour
- 1/2 c. finely cut citron
- 1/2 tsp. soda
- 1/2 c. butter
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 c. molasses
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
First prepare the fruits for the cake. Cream the butter, stir in the sugar gradually, add the eggs unbeaten, and continue beating. Add the molasses, milk, and flour with which the soda and spices have been sifted, and then fold the fruits, which have been prepared, into this mixture. Another way of adding the fruit is to pour a layer of the cake mixture into the cake pan, sprinkle this generously with the fruit, then another layer of dough and another layer of fruit, and finally a layer of dough with just a little fruit sprinkled on top. Whichever plan is followed, prepare the pan by covering the bottom with 1/2 inch of flour and then placing a piece of greased paper over this. This heavy layer of flour prevents the cake from burning. Put the cake in a very moderate oven and bake for about 2 hours. If a fruit cake without a heavy crust is desired, the mixture may be steamed for 3 hours in an ordinary steamer and then placed in the oven just long enough to dry the surface.
82. WHITE FRUIT CAKE.--While dark fruit cake is popular with the majority of persons, white fruit cake has been coming into favor for some time and is now made extensively. It contains a larger variety of fruit than the dark cake and nuts are also used. Cake of this kind may be baked in the oven or steamed.
WHITE FRUIT CAKE
- 1/4 lb. citron, cut into thin slices
- 1/2 lb. apricots, dried, steamed, and chopped
- 1/2 lb. raisins, chopped
- 1/2 lb. candied cherries, cut into pieces
- 1/2 lb. dates, chopped
- 1/2 lb. almonds, blanched and cut into thin strips
- 1 c. butter
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1 Tb. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. cloves
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 c. flour
Steam the citron and apricots until they are soft, and then cut them in the required manner. Prepare the other fruits and the almonds. Cream the butter, add the sugar, egg, and milk, and beat thoroughly. Sift the baking powder and spices with the flour and add these. Dredge the fruits and nuts with flour and fold them into the mixture. Bake for 2 hours in a slow oven in small loaf pans lined with paper and containing about a 1/2 inch layer of flour in the bottom, or steam for 3 hours and then bake for a short time in a moderate oven.
83. WEDDING CAKE.--Fruit cake has been used so much for wedding cake that it has come to be the established cake for this purpose. However, when fruit cake is to be used for weddings, a richer variety is generally made, as will be observed from the ingredients listed in the accompanying recipe. Wedding cake is usually cut into small pieces and presented to the guests in dainty white boxes.
WEDDING CAKE