A food item more controversial than cornbread. Will this be the demise of APS?

[MillCreek]

I like fruitcake.  There, I said it.  For the third year in a row, the WalMarts local to me are now carrying Claxton fruitcake in the holiday section. $ 2.68 for a 12 ounce package, and I discovered if I buy enough, I can freeze them and enjoy fruitcake throughout the year. They seem to sell out quickly and not be restocked, so I learned to buy ten packages as soon as I saw the display.   This is much much cheaper than buying them from Amazon.

[Brad Johnson]

Fruitcake... warmed with lots of butter. Yum.

Brad

[charby]

A well made fruitcake is a culinary delight with a nice cup of coffee.

[BobR]

I occasionally make fruit cake. My rule of thumb is if it isn't made prior to Halloween then I will skip it for the year. I like to keep mine in a cool dry spot and spritz with beverage of choice (brandy, whiskey, rum) a couple of times a week until the end of the first week in Dec, and then mail them out. I have converted a few people from fruit cake haters to actually asking if I am making any for the holidays.

And yes, I do eat it myself. :)

bob

[zxcvbob]

Here's a non-traditional fruitcake recipe that I like.  (I also have one that's just candied fruit and nuts with the bare minimum of batter)  I use Turkish apricots because the California ones are hard to find.  The cheap fruitcake mix that has way too much citrus peel is actually good in this one. 

The comments in [brackets] and (parentheses) are Margaret's, not mine.

From: Margaret Suran <margaret@no.spam.for.me.invalid>
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: Recipe Request (non tradional fruitcake)
Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2004 21:00:56 -0400
Message-ID: <ch5rc702nor@news4.newsguy.com>

Bishop's Bread (Bischofsbrot)

l cup boiling water  [I use orange juice for extra flavor]
l cup raisins
l ounce butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar [I use less, because the fruits are sweet]
3 large eggs
l cup chopped dried California apricots (Turkish apricots do not have the same flavor or tartness)
l cup fruitcake fruit or chopped dried fruit (apples, prunes, peaches, pineapple, cherries, cranberries, etc)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Place raisins and butter into bowl and pour boiling water over it. Put aside to soak.

In large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and sugar.  Stir to combine.  Beat the eggs slightly and add to the flour mixture.  It will be very dry.  Add the raisins with the water.  Stir until well combined.  Add all the other ingredients.

Grease two 8" x 4" loaf pans with butter and dust with flour.  Divide the batter between the two pans and bake in preheated 325 degree oven for about 1 hour, or until wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

[MechAg94]

But I don't really give a dang about fruitcake or what kind you like.   

For me, Christmas time means my Mother's pound cake and gingerbread cookies with icing. 

[K Frame]

I made a traditional English plum pudding for years. My family loved it.

I'm good with fruit cake, too.

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[Perd Hapley]

I'd prefer some cornbread, with butter, honey, and jelly.

[K Frame]

I may make a plum pudding again this year for Christmas. I've not made it for several years, but I'm spending Christmas with Castlekey and his family and I'm thinking of making one for as much a conversation starter (or ender  ) as anything.

The recipe I have takes about 6 hours to make from start to finish -- 2 hours active prep and 4 hours steaming.

Result is a tasty, not too sweet not quite cake like dessert that conjures up visions of Tiny Tim... Especially if you soak it with a lot of alcohol (I use either apple brandy or Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey) and then eat it with a bourbon-based hard sauce.

[charby]

I was in Holland in 2001, they had these little individually wrapped fruit cakes for the morning coffee break, so damn tasty.

[Silver Bullet]

My mother's fruitcake was a 10, it was terrific.  Moist, great flavors.

Harry and David's fruitcake was a 7.

Every other fruitcake I've eaten was a 3.  Or less.

[MillCreek]

https://www.gethsemanifarms.org/

A friend of mine recommended I look into this.  Is anyone familiar with their fruitcake?

[BobR]

https://www.gethsemanifarms.org/

A friend of mine recommended I look into this.  Is anyone familiar with their fruitcake?

I have never heard of those guys. I was always under the impression if you were going to mail order a fruitcake you had to order one from Collin Street Bakery in Cosricana Texas or Claxton fruit cake. Looking at the pictures and reading descriptions most of these fruit cakes run 25% or so of fruit and nuts. I prescribe to the theory that a good fruit cake should have just enough cake to hold the fruit together. I never measured mine out but I would not be surprised if my homemade one ran 40-50% fruit, or more.

bob

[MillCreek]

I also point out that it is the time of year for the Costco fruitcakes.  I made the mistake of buying it two years in a row.  The second year was to see if the recipe had changed.  It had not.  It is an excellent value at $15 for a 3.5 pound cake full of nuts and fruit.  But boy howdy, was it sweet.  Way too sweet for my taste.  It was also one-dimensional with the only fruit being pineapple and cherries.  Lots of pecans and walnuts, too.  So if you like a very sweet fruitcake with lots of nuts, you might like this.

[zxcvbob]

I also point out that it is the time of year for the Costco fruitcakes.  I made the mistake of buying it two years in a row.  The second year was to see if the recipe had changed.  It had not.  It is an excellent value at $15 for a 3.5 pound cake full of nuts and fruit.  But boy howdy, was it sweet.  Way too sweet for my taste.  It was also one-dimensional with the only fruit being pineapple and cherries.  Lots of pecans and walnuts, too.  So if you like a very sweet fruitcake with lots of nuts, you might like this.

That's what my good fruitcake recipe is like (I may post it later), pineapple, green and red cherries, pecans, and walnuts, with just enough cake to hold it together.  It's like eating candy.  You eat small slices with a cup of strong coffee. :)  I usually add prunes, raisins, and apricots to it to tone it down a little and give it some variety.  I will check out the Costco ones; thanks.

[Pb]

I love fruitcake also!   

[MechAg94]

I love fruitcake also!   

Still talking about food right?

[Brad Johnson]

I love fruitcake also!   

Beans or no beans?

Brad

[K Frame]

Beans or no beans?

Brad

Not sure if you're joking or not, but there are numerous recipes for cakes of all kinds, including fruitcake, that include pinto or other types of beans.

https://www.cooks.com/recipe/ks0am5q1/pinto-bean-fruit-cake.html

[Jamisjockey]

I've never bothered eating it, as there are so many delicacies floating around christmas that it's low on my list.
My grandmother always made "magic cookie bars" which are one of my favorites.
My step mom makes cheesecakes that will blow your mind.
I'm over here like "Fruit what?"

[K Frame]

"magic cookie bars"

These?

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/63959/magic-cookie-bars-from-eagle-brand/

If so, yeah, they're good... and good for you! 

[Brad Johnson]

My grandmother always made "magic cookie bars"

Saw some of those for sale in Colorado. 

Brad

[Jamisjockey]

"magic cookie bars"

These?

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/63959/magic-cookie-bars-from-eagle-brand/

If so, yeah, they're good... and good for you! 

The very ones.  I tend to add a little more...okay a *expletive deleted*ck ton more chocolate than the recipe calls for though....