We realized that it really wasn’t nice to discuss fruitcake in our previous blog without providing a good recipe for the traditional dessert. And as today is National Fruitcake Day, we can’t let the time slip by. So here is the most famous fruitcake recipe around—-from Irma Rombauer Becker’s JOY OF COOKING. In my version it is on page 630 but there are many versions of the famous cookbook.

Ms. Rombauer Becker starts by sharing a bit about the history of the fruitcake: “Many people feel that these cakes improve greatly with age. When they are well saturated with alcoholic liquors, which raise the spirits and keep down the mold, and are buried in powdered sugar in tightly closed tins, they have been enjoyed as long as 25 years after baking.

Fruit cakes are fundamentally butter cakes with just enough dough to bind the fruit. Raisins, figs and dates can be more easily cut if the scissors or knife used is dipped periodically in water..”

Ms. Rombauer Becker goes on to explain about preparing the pans for baking. She presents several different types of fruit cake recipes in JOY OF COOKING. Here is the one for FRUIT CAKE COCKAIGNE on page 631.

“Makes two 4 x 8 1/2 inch loaves

Not unlike a pound cake. The fruit stays light in color.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Have all ingredients at about 75 degrees.

Sift before measuring:

4 cups of all-purpose flour

Reserve 1/2 cup. Mix it with 4 cups of nuts and fruits.

We particularly like:

1 1/2 cups pecans or hickory nuts

1 1/2 cups white raisins

1 1/2 cups seeded and chopped preserved kumquats

Resift the remainder of the flour with:

1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream until light:

3/4 cup butter

Then cream it with:

2 cups sugar

Beat in, one at a time:

5 eggs

Add:

1 teaspoon vanilla

And continue to beat until light. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and continue beating until thoroughly mixed. Fold in the reserved floured nuts and fruits. Bake for about an hour. To prepare pans, cool, remove and store.”

We have had Rombauer-Becker’s JOY OF COOKING in our kitchen for many years. We trust her to tell us how to cook almost anything. If you are hankering for fruit cake on this NATIONAL FRUIT CAKE DAY, I suggest this recipe! Best wishes!

Fruitcake Recipes? Here You Go!