Fruit cake in a bundt pan?

[hedgehog]

OK, get the fruit cake jokes out of your system..... I'll wait.

I make a fruit cake with dried fruit, not the candied strange stuff from the grocery store (has anyone ever actually seen a citron in the wild?)

I used chopped apricots, raisins, currants, walnuts and cherries. I happen to have a bundt pan that is a ring of Christmas trees.

So, if I use the bundt pan,

A. will I be able to get the cake out of it?

and B

Will the fancy pattern show?

I also have a bundt pan that is a curled up dragon.

[uppityperson]

1. Heavily grease the pan with crisco then flour first. B? That sounds really nice pan

It depends on how much batter to fruit but if it didn't show, nothing lost. I made fruitcakes out of fruit like that yesterday. 1 loaf, 1 small round from springform pan, a dozen cupcakes. One frig shelf is full of containers of alcoholic aging fruitcakes. Made of real fruit and nuts is yummy!

[hedgehog]

2. Here's the dragon pan; too risky?

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/152e/


I could use a good non-fruit cake recipe for this one maybe. Any suggestions?

[TygrBright]

3. Yeah, actually, I *have* seen a citron.

It's used to make marmalade, and is one of the "foundation" versions of citrus fruit. A lot of contemporary versions of the lemon and orange have citron in their family tree.

It's never used fresh, I don't think, except for juicing for various medicinal preparations (it has a long history in healing, as well, as a reliable source of vitamin C, etc.) It exists in contemporary food culture pretty much only in the preserved-with-sugar form, the "candied" version and the marmalades, etc.

As far as getting the pattern from your bundt pan goes, a lot will depend on your fruit-to-batter ratio. Even if you prep the pan well and get a clean turn-out, the pattern may not be very easy to see in a very fruit-intensive version.

However, you can use the pattern's relief as a "guide" to add in decorations that will bring out the pattern a bit, too.

helpfully,
Bright the fruitcake fan

[Freddie]

4. Your post makes me miss my Mom!

She always made a fruitcake, in an angel food pan. The recipe was called Frugal Fruitcake and was mostly nuts and raisins, with some of the candied stuff for color. I have the recipe somewhere in her cookbooks but there's no point making it as no one else would eat it.

[hedgehog]

5. I've always used an angel food pan,

but will risk getting it out of a Christmasy bundt pan.

[Goblinmonger]

6. This post is useless without the recipe.

Maybe I'll try make one this year.

[hedgehog]

9. OK

Soak 5 cups of mixed dried fruit in Irish whisky ( I use Irish Mist for the honey overtones)
1 cup walnuts
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon cardomen
1/2 teasoon all spice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup softened butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
5 egg yolks
4 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5 egg whites stiffly beaten with 1 tablespoon sugar.

1. Mix flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda

2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each.

4. Stir in flour and honey mixture.

5. Stir in fruit and nuts.

6. fold in egg whites

7. Pour into greased angel food cake pan, or 2 7 or 8 inch loaf pans, or deep cake pan.

Bake at 325 for 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on pans used. Watch the edges to insure they don't get scorched.

I might reset my oven to 300 this year and/or use a water bath.

If you make this ahead, keep the cake on a plastic or glass dish and liberally add whisky from time to time until Christmas.

[japple]

10. Oh my, this sounds divine. I would love to have some of this cake. Having only

made a fruit bread and nothing this complicated, I can't give much advice, except that when we made fruit cake back in the old days, we would plump the raisins, then dry on a towel and then dredge them in flour so they wouldn't sink to the bottom. I think you might need to do something similar.

[Worried senior]

7. One of the quick breads

from Pillsbury I think used to have a fruit cake recipe on the side of the box.

It really was very good.

[blue neen]

12. I wonder if it was the Date Quick Bread.

My mother made a fruitcake using that as a base. Is this quick bread even available anymore?

[Worried senior]

13. Yes,

I'm sure you are right.

It was available a few years ago, I should look and see because I would like it one more time.

[Warpy]

8. Fruit cakes made with real dried fruit and nuts can be great

It's the mass produced crap with cheap booze and day-glo fruit that I can't stand.

OK, on to your questions: A. Yes, if you greased and floured the pan enough, cooking spray with silicone in it is extra insurance; B. Yes, the fancy patern will show and will be even prettier if you sieve a little confectioner's sugar over the top.

[surrealAmerican]

11. I've more than "seen" a citron ...

... I've held one in my hand, and taken it for a walk. This is part of the Jewish harvest festival (Sukkot).

I don't remember what happened to the fruits after that, and somehow doubt they were eaten, but apparently they are sometimes candied and stored until a different holiday in the springtime.

[trueblue2007]

14. I BOOKMARKED THIS TOPIC. i love fruitcake

i haven' make fruitcake in a long time. i wish i could find the BEST recipe ~~

[hedgehog]

15. It came out alright! albeit with a lot of encouragement from

my husband who engaged in marathon shaking and banging the sides on the counter!

I subbed an extra cup of brown sugar instead of using some dubious looking honey, and also added a tablespoon of vanilla. It smelled divine! I took it out after about 2 1/2 hours, I probably should have checked it at 2 hours, but no harm done.

[Angry Dragon]

16. Dragons are the best