I have made a double batch of this fruitcake every November for the last five or six years. It is so delicious, that it will shake your very foundation. I am including my recommendations for creating gold, silver and bronze versions in parentheses.The recipe comes from another teacher named Caleb via my friend Anna.
4 # raisins (gold – organic golden;Â silver – any golden raisins; bronze – regular raisins)
1 gal shelled pecans or 10 # unshelled (gold – organic from Texas; silver- organic; bronze – from Costco)
1 1/2 # candied pineapple
1 1/2 # candied cherries
1 # citron
1 # butter (gold – organic, unsalted)
4 c sugar
5 c flour (gold – organic)
1 tbsp salt
3 tsp cinn
3 whole nutmegs, grated
4 tbsp vanilla (real)
1 doz eggs (gold – farm fresh)
Mix butter, sugar, and then eggs and vanilla.
Sift dry mixture. Add fruits and nuts. Bake at 350 for 2-4 hours or until eggs stop stringing. Stir every 10 or 15 minutes while cooking. Put into buttered pan while hot. Pack down well. Yields about 15 #.
** Use a very large roasting pan and the strongest iron paddles to stir the mixture**
**In the beginning you can stir every 15 minutes and as the mixture begins cooking, stir more frequently. If it gets overcooked, it will not hold together well.**
**Makes excellent gifts**
**Slice thin to serve**
**Freezes well**
To see a video of stirring the fruitcake and of the homemade candied fruits we used, go this this post here.