A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and fruit cake Starter.
JUMP TO RECIPE
So… fruit cake. Yeah, I know, it sucks right? Those hard, dense loaves that circulate around Christmastime that you could build an igloo with need to go back to whichever decade they crept out of.
Except, guess what? Not all fruit cakes are gross. As a matter of fact, this one is anything but. It’s moist and airy and bursting with yummy bits of tender fruit. And this one is special. This one is special because you can only get it from a friend.
That’s right. You have to be chosen.
When you first get one, it comes with a mysterious “starter” jar filled with this syrupy pink liquid. And you’re all like, ummm… thanks, pal. What am I supposed to do with this jar? Light it on fire and hurl it at the neighbors like a Molotov co*cktail?or…A fruit cake? Really… you shouldn't have. Reallllly.
But then you taste the fruit cake and you’re blown away with how awesome it is and feel bad for acting like a brat about it.
And then you actually sit down and read the recipe and start to feel all special because you see how much thought and planning went into it and you were chosen to receive it.
And now, instead of thinking what the crap am I supposed to do with this? you’re secretly wondering which of your other friends were chosen and which weren't and you want to go set your pink jar on the porch and point a spotlight at it so everyone will know you were chosen.
Or something like that.
This is a lot of fun and makes incredible gifts. You just have to plan ahead and buy a few jars. I plan on getting the kids involved with making the next batch because it’s kinda like a science experiment. And it’s chocked full of life lessons about booze and being chosen. Ha.
And guess what else? I’m going to show you how to make your own Starter. So you can make all of it you want and sit on your porch all be all like, Oh, you didn't want to give me one? Well, joke's on you because I made my own!
I’m going to end on that note because I seem to be getting away from the true spirit of friendship :o) though, my friends are seriously kooky and will think this is funny even if the rest of you think I have finally lost it.
Recipe for Friendship Fruit Cake plus Starter Recipe
Friendship Fruit Cake & Starter Recipe
Yield: 4-5 Starters & 2 Large Cakes
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and Starter
Ingredients
Friendship Fruit Cake Starter
- 1 20-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
- 1 16-oz. can apricots, drained
- 1 16-oz. can sliced peaches, drained and cut into chunks
- 1 10-oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained
- 1 1/4 cups brandy
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
Friendship Fruit Cakes
- 1 pint Friendship Fruit Cake Starter
- 1 16-oz. can sliced peaches, with liquid – do not drain
- 1 20-oz. can pineapple tidbits, with liquid – do not drain
- 2 10-oz. jars maraschino cherries, drained and halved
- 6 cups sugar, divided
- 8 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
- 2 boxes yellow cake mix
- 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (optional)
- 2 cups raisins (optional)
Instructions
Friendship Fruit Cake Starter
- Combine all ingredients in a large glass jar and stir well. Cover with a LOOSE-FITTING LID (nothing air-tight) or with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth secured with a rubber band then let stand at room temperature for three weeks, stirring 2-3 times each week.
- Drain fruit, reserving liquid (Starter). Proceed to cake recipe below.
- Use fruit to make cakes (starting at Step 6) if desired or use as a topping for pound cake or ice cream.
Friendship Fruit Cakes
- Day One: Pour Starter into a large glass jar. Cut peaches into chunks then add peaches with juice into jar. Add 2 cups sugar then stir well. Cover jar with a LOOSE-FITTING LID (nothing air-tight) or with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth secured with a rubber band. Stir mixture once each day for 10 days.
- Day Ten: Add pineapple tidbits with juice to the jar. Add 2 cups sugar, stir well and cover. Stir mixture once each day for 10 more days.
- Day Twenty: Add drained and halved cherries to the jar. Add 2 cups sugar, stir well and cover. Stir mixture once each day for 10 more days.
- Day Thirty: Time to Bake! Grease and flour 4 small (8-inch, 6-cup) or 2 regular (10-inch, 12-cup) bundt pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Drain fruit, reserving liquid to be given away as Starter (should yield 4 pints).
- Combine eggs and oil in a large bowl then mix well. Add cake and pudding mixes then mix until combined (batter will be thick). Stir in fruit, nuts, coconut and raisins.
- Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake at 325 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (40-50 minutes for small, 60-90 minutes for large).
- Remove cakes from oven then cool in pans. Store cakes at room temperature in an air-tight container. Freeze for up to three months.
https://www.southyourmouth.com/2014/01/friendship-fruit-cake-plus-starter.html
Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2014
fruit cake, starter, friendship, cake, fermented, brandy, best, how to, recipe, fruitcake, batter, gifts, bundt
dessert, cakes
Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!
FAQs
What alcohol should you use? Strong, flavourful spirits with a high ABV are ideal for feeding fruitcakes. You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.
What is a friendship cake made of? ›
Making Friendship Fruit Cake Starter
To make the starter, you combine apricots, peaches, maraschino cherries, and pineapple with brandy and sugar in a large jar or bowl. You stir the mixture a couple of times a week, and by day 20, your concoction is ready.
What is the best thing to soak fruit in for Christmas cake? ›
Best alcohol for soaking fruit cake:
This includes options like rum, brandy, whisky, and port wine. These types of alcohol will help to keep the fruit cake moist and also add some extra flavor to the cake. You can also soak the fruit in orange juice, apple juice, or any other type of fruit juice.
What can I use instead of brandy in fruitcake? ›
Whiskey serves as a great substitute for brandy in a fruitcake. Although whiskey comes from fermented grain mash while brandy is made from fermented grape mash, the process is so similar, that the flavor will be similar as well.
Does alcohol in fruit cake last long? ›
Fruitcake with alcohol can last years, and in some rare cases, it can last decades. For those looking to prepare fruitcakes with alcohol for storage, you'll want to make sure to brush the fruitcake with alcohol fairly consistently across its time in storage.
How do you keep fruit cake moist with alcohol? ›
Fruitcakes are traditionally aged in a cloth wrapping of alcohol for at least five weeks. The alcohol preserves the cakes, fruits, and nuts within, and keeps everything moist.
What is Elvis Presley cake? ›
An Elvis Presley cake is a single-layer classic yellow cake that's topped with a pineapple glaze. Much like a poke cake, the syrup and juices of the pineapple will seep into the cake through fork holes, resulting in a decadent, ultra-moist cake.
What is Queen Elizabeth cake made of? ›
Queen Elizabeth cake is a dessert cake prepared with sugar, flour, dates, eggs, and butter, and topped with a sugary icing infused with shredded coconut. The cake is named after Elizabeth II. It is a popular cake in Canada. The coconut topping is prepared by broiling or grilling.
What's in a Robert Redford cake? ›
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake (baked in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan)
- 3/4 cup fudge topping, slightly warmed.
- 3/4 cup caramel topping, or butterscotch topping, slightly warmed.
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk.
- 6 chocolate-covered toffee bars, such as Heath bars, divided; or 1 1/3 cups toffee and chocolate chips.
Here are some tips to help you make a moist fruit cake: Ingredients: Fruits:Use a variety of dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped dates, and candied peel. Soak the dried fruits in a liquid (like alcohol or fruit juice) overnight to plump them up and infuse flavor.
If the cakes are too moist, remove them from the container and all wrapping. Allow them to stand at room temperature for 24 hours, then rewrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Do not continue seasoning. Dark cakes usually take 4 to 6 weeks to season; light cakes usually take 3 to 4 weeks to season.
What can I use to moisten a fruit cake? ›
A simple syrup, preferably one flavored with cognac or brandy, will work wonders on dry cake. If the cake is hard, you're probably best off turning it upside down in the pan and using a wooden skewer to poke holes in it, then brushing on the syrup and letting it soak in.
How long should fruitcake be aged? ›
Fruitcake aficionados will tell you that the best fruit cakes are matured – or “seasoned” in fruitcake lingo – for at least three months before they are cut. Seasoning not only improves the flavor of the fruitcake, but it makes it easier to slice.
Should I leave Christmas cake in tin to cool? ›
Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
Can I use whisky instead of rum in fruit cake? ›
Soak all your dried fruits in your spirit of choice – whisky or brandy would be the most traditional options, though other aged spirits like rum also work, and sweeter additions like sherry, Cointreau or amaretto will add their own character.
What is a substitute for rum in fruit cake? ›
Yes, it is absolutely possible to make fruit cake without alcohol. You can replace the alcohol with fruit juice, such as orange juice or apple juice, to soak the dried fruits, adding flavor and moisture to the cake.
What does alcohol do to fruit cake? ›
Soaking fruits in alcohol is a common practice when making fruitcakes for several reasons: 1. Flavor Enhancement: Soaking fruits in alcohol imparts a rich, deep flavor to the fruits. The alcohol helps to infuse the fruits with its unique taste, creating a distinctive flavor profile in the fruitcake.
What kind of alcohol do you use for cakes? ›
Baking with booze—such as bourbon, rum, port and vodka—can add additional flavor, texture and even change the consistency of many baked goods. Take pie dough for example, adding a splash of vodka produces a super flakey dough and develops less gluten in the dough than water.
Why add alcohol to fruit cake? ›
Just like wine, preserved fruit also has tannins that are released into the cake, adding complexity. The alcohol also counteracts the sweetness of the candied fruit.
