Fruitcake

Fruitcake appears to have been given a bad reputation in America for reasons I cannot fathom. It is commonly the subject of ridicule when asked what gift did you receive from your mother-in-law this season? It is viewed then as a tough brick impenetrable to all knives and certainly inedible.

How did this madness begin? Fruitcake has a wonderful flavor that results from weeks of sitting after the oven has gone silent. The melange of dried candied fruit and nuts allow for a great amount of variation. Furthermore fruitcake goes well with just about every beverage, especially hot tea. A spoonful of sour cream does wonders, as does a hint of liqueur inside the cake, having been added after the cake has cooled to prevent evaporation of the alcohol.

Most fruitcakes are "light" or "dark" with the latter featuring molasses, the marvelously strong-flavored extract of sugar refining which gives brown sugar its special taste.

I here reproduce the recipe for a white fruitcake as found in the Betty Crocker International Cookbook. The text is extracted from the cookbook without modification. I have used dried figs and dates instead of the candied fruit, and pecans for almonds.

Elegant White Fruitcake

A cake for an anniversary of great importance. May be used as an alternate with dark fruit cake as a wedding cake. Cut the candied (glace) fruits in large uniform pieces, then when the cake is sliced for serving, the beautiful rich colors will shine against the white background.

Makes a 5 1/2 pound cake in a spring form pan with a tube center, or a 10-inch angel food cake pan.

• 1 1/2 cups (6 slices pineapple chunks)
• 1 cup cubed citron
• 1 cup halved, candied (glace) cherries
• 1 cup each cut candied (glace) lemon and orange rinds
• 1 cup golden seedless raisins
• 1 1/2 cups slivered blanched almonds
• 4 cups sifted enriched flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 8 egg whites

Prepare baking pan.

Combine fruits and almonds with sifted dry ingredients.

Cream together shortening, butter or margarine, and sugar until light and fluffy.

Stir in combined fruits, nutmeats, and sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk to make a stiff batter.

Fold in egg whites, beaten until stiff; spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake in slow oven (300 F) about 2 1/2 hours or until top is firm to light touch. (If top seems to be browning too fast, cover with heavy paper during last 45 minutes of baking.)