The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-12-22

to define different types of fruit
cakes according TO their native orr.
GIN | quite blithely answered, "why,
certainly English fruit cake Is usu-
ally dark and southern fruit cake is
usually light" Then. upon looking
up recipes in numerous books In my
collection, discovered that | had
been too quick in my response. /
was answering out of my experience
In English and southern homes. /
finds that the cook books do not agree
with my own experiences and so
/ think i shall have to des-
ignate my fruit cake recipes in some
other way. perhaps by their color.
While fruit cake recipes vary, they
are all alike in one respectfully
must contain plenty of fruit. The
mixture which holds them together
may be favored III a variety of ways,
and these fiavorings are not only re-
sponsible for the variation in taste
but also for the variation in color.
The fruit content varies from the
simplest type. which contains only
raiSinS, to the most elaborate, which
may have citron. apricots. pineapple,
figs. currants. dates. or cherries, can
died fruit peels. and almonds or
pecans in addition. Old fruit cake
recipes call for brandy or sherry to
furnish the liquid. In the absence
of these you will find fruit juices,
cider. jelly. and coffee useful.
No matter what type Of cake you
decide to make. you must give it a
long baking or combined steaming
and baking. Some people find that
the easiest way to bake fruit cake
is to steam it frstl 1t will take
about two and half to three hours
steaming and then it may be finished
by taking an hour longer in a slow
oven. to dry ii out. reader asks
me to mention the type of utensils
used when cakes and buildings are
steamed. A regular steamer" is. of
course. easiest. Anything put in this
type of steamer must be tightly COW
cred with tin or oiled or parchment
paper, or cellophane. held tightly in
place by a rubber band or string.
If you haven't steamer, you can
easily manufacture one by using a
large kettle and placing your pud-
dings or cakes on a trivet or rack
You will have TO renew the water
more often in this makeshift arrange
ment. but it win be perfectly salts
factory.
Naturally the length of time for
baking depends upon the size of the
cake. Very small cakes will bake in
an hour and a quarter, while the
large cakes take as much as three
hours. To prevent its browning too
quickly, it is sometimes covered with
paper. or If you are using a glass
baking dish you may use the cover
which comes with it. After the mix
ture is in the pans you may decorate
the top with candied cherries and al
monds in artistic arrangement.
1 wonder If you have seen the
ready-to-mix and bake fruit cake
mixtures which have come on the
market? Fruits and nuts of excel
lent quality cut in large pieces. as
they should be for good and true
fruit cakes. are combined with the
dry ingredients ready for you to add
the liquid. One of these products
comes in a pan which is lined with
paper into which the cake mixture
may be put back and baked. This
pan may also be used with it's cover
for storing the cake. You will also
find excellent ready baked fruit
cakes in fancy boxes suitable for
Christmas gifts.
One Of my friends. an expert. who
is the owner and manager of a we'll
known restaurant, told me very in
teresting thing about keeping fruit
cakes. After the cakes are baked
and put away for storage she covers
them with a layer of brown sugar.
which keeps them moist and devel-
ops the flavors. I am passing this
very valuable hint on to you And
don't forget that the sooner you
make your cakes the better they will
be at Christmas timel
White Fruit Cake
I cup seeded white raisins.
u cup sliced orange peel.
II cup sliced lemon peel.
Y cup sliced citron.
1 package shredded coconut.
cup blanched almonds.
"a cups -four.
1 teaspoon baking powder.
Il teaspoon salt.
Il cup shortening.
1 cup sugar.
3 eggs.
Z cup sherry favoring.
y cup orange juice.
Wash raisins and drain well.
Place raisins, fruit peels. coconut
and coarsely chopped nut meats in
bowl Sift flour, baking powder and
salt over fruit; mix fruit through the
flour with fingers. Cream shorten
ing, add sugar gradually, then beaten