Fruit Cake

Kate Berntsen

My mother lovingly made this Fruit Cake recipe for Christmas every year. She usually made it the same week as Thanksgiving so the flavors had time to mellow and "age." The loaves were wrapped in aluminum foil and placed on a large tray that she placed under her bed. We shopped early for the candied fruit and nuts. My mother's favorite place to get them was ZCMI; the fruit at the grocery store was never as fresh. Fruit Cake was mother's favorite thing to make for Christmas. She especially made it for her brothers, John and Farnes. This recipe was their mother's. Grandma Kate made fruit cake every Christmas season. It is so good, tastes magical, and reminds me of my mother.

1 lb. butter

10 eggs

1 lb. brown sugar (2¼ cups)

3½ c. flour

2 tsp. mace

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. soda added to 2 T. lemon juice

1/2 lb. red candied cherries

1/2 lb. green candied cherries

1/2 lb. red and green candied pineapple

4 oz. citron

2 pounds raisins (6 cups)

2 pkgs. currants

1½ c. walnuts

Rinse raisins and currants, and drain well.

Chop nuts.

Cut candied fruit. Cherries should be sliced in thin rounds, about 4 slices to each cherry. Pineapple should have 4 slices to each piece, keeping original shape. Citron can be diced. Dredge with 1/4-cup flour (distributing flour on fruit and nuts keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the pan during baking.)

Combine the nuts, raisins, and currants in a very large bowl and dredge, gently mix the 3½ cup flour along with the spices with a large wooden spoon. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in mixer. Add eggs. Stir soda into lemon juice and add to the creamed mixture. Add this to nuts, raisins, and currants. Beat until well mixed.

Add candied fruit, stir in until well mixed--do not beat.

Place in 6 half-loaf sized bread pans. You may have a little bit left for a mini loaf. If you like large loaves, use 3 regular sized bread pans.

Loaf pans should be greased and floured, lined with parchment or wax paper. They will stick if you don’t; there is a lot of fruit in each loaf.

Bake at 250 degrees for l hour and 20 minutes. It can take more or less time, until toothpick comes out clean.