#1015 - In Search of the Perfect Fruit Cake

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RK1015InSearchofaBetterFruitCakeNov292011.mp3

The Holiday Season is now officially upon us, and we might as well brace ourselves for the low humor of fruitcake jokes.   Everybody seemingly hates fruit cake, they don’t want it as a gift, and would never think about giving it.   But...offer somebody a Plum Pudding, and all bets are off.   But as it happens, both Al and Jerry love a good fruit cake, provided it is fresh and not deadly stale.

Jerry looked into the question of how to deliver a good example of this seasonal confection, and after hours of painstaking research, he put together this recipe.   We hope you try it out.


Fruit Cake Recipe
Created by Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Corks & Waterfront Kitchen

2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cups shortening
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 eggs
½ cup molasses
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
1 ¾ cups peeled & shredded granny smith apples (I shred them on the large holes of a box grater)
A total of 2 to 3 cups of your favorite fruits

Prepare a 12 inch spring form pan by buttering it and sprinkling it with flour.

In a sauce pot set over medium heat, bring the shortening, molasses, sugar and shredded apples to a boil.   Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.   Allow to cool.

In a mixer, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  Add the molasses mixture and mix until combine. Beat the eggs and add to the batter.   Mix until combine.   Fold in the fruit and pour into the spring form pan and bake in the middle of a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 20 minutes and serve.