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Lofty Layered Fruitcake

Reggie Dwork <reggie@jeff-and-reggie.com>
Fri, 04 Dec 2020 19:32:32 -0800
v120.n047.2
* Exported from MasterCook *

                          Fruitcake, Lofty Layered

Recipe By     : King Arthur Baking
Serving Size  : 20    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Bread-Bakers Mailing List       Fruit
                 Holidays                        Posted

   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         Fruit
   3               cups  Fruitcake Fruit Blend -- Note 1:, Note 2: or 
the dried or candied fruits of your choice, (369g to 425g)
   6        tablespoons  water -- or brandy, (85g)
                         Cake
   12       tablespoons  unsalted butter -- cool room temp, 65-68F (170g)
   1 1/2           cups  granulated sugar -- (298g)
   1 1/2      teaspoons  baking powder
      3/4      teaspoon  salt
   4          teaspoons  Yuletide Cheer Spice -- (7g), Note 3:
   3              large  eggs -- at room temperature
   2 3/4           cups  Cake Flour -- Unbleached, or Unbleached 
All-Purpose Flour, (326g)
      3/4           cup  milk -- at room temperature, (170g)
   1 1/2           cups  pecans -- or walnuts, diced, optional, (170g)
                         brandy -- rum, or liquor of your choice; for 
soaking, optional
                         Frosting
   8                 oz  cream cheese -- at room temperature, (227g)
      1/2           cup  granulated sugar -- or Baker's Special Sugar,  (99g)
   2               cups  heavy cream -- (454g)
                         Sugared cranberries -- optional
      1/2           cup  water -- (113g)
      3/4           cup  granulated sugar -- divided, (to 1C/149g to 198g)
      1/2           cup  cranberries -- fresh or frozen, washed and 
dried, (to 1C/50g to 99g)

If fruitcake doesn't necessarily conjure up thoughts of a frosted 
four-layer cake, this recipe is designed to change your mind. Dense, 
moist, fruit-studded cakes are sandwiched between layers of light, 
fluffy, delicately sweetened frosting for a combination that's as 
impressive to view as it is to eat.

Note 1: Fruitcake Fruit Blend consists of our very favorite fruitcake 
fruits. A delicious blend of raisins, pineapple, currants, 
cranberries, dates, and confectioners' sugar. Use in any of your 
favorite fruitcake recipes, add some to a loaf of bread, or even make 
your own healthful granola.

Note 2: or 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind (zest), 3/4 teaspoon 
cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 3/8 teaspoon mace, 1/8 teaspoon 
allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Note 3: Bake the best sweet yeasted holiday breads, scones, and 
stollen at home with our ready blend of classic, festive spices. The 
combination of the finest cardamom, coriander, mace, allspice, 
nutmeg, and orange peel brightens up your favorite recipes. Add up to 
two tablespoons of the blend to any of our stollen recipes or add a 
teaspoon to any sweet bread (like panettone, brioche, or cinnamon 
buns) for a distinctive holiday flavor.

PREP: 45 mins
BAKE: 50 mins to 1 hr
TOTAL: 11:40
YIELD: one 8" four-layer cake

To prepare the fruit: Combine the dried fruit with liquid in a bowl. 
Cover and set aside to soak overnight. Too impatient to wait until 
tomorrow? Microwave everything for 1 minute (or until it's very hot), 
cover, and let rest 1 hour.

To prepare the cake: Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease two celebration 
cake pans or two 8" round cake pans.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, baking powder, 
salt, and spice.

Beat in the eggs one at time, scraping the sides and bottom of the 
bowl after each addition.

Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, 
then sweeping off any excess. Stir the flour into the batter 
alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour, 
scraping the bowl as needed.

Add the undrained fruit and the nuts, mixing until evenly incorporated.

Spoon one-fourth of the batter into each prepared pan, filling them 
almost full if using the celebration pans or 3/4" deep if using round 
cake pans. If you have a scale, dividing the batter evenly among the 
pans is simple math.

Bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes until the cakes are lightly 
golden brown all over; a cake tester inserted into the center will 
come out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven, let them cool for 5 minutes, then 
turn them out onto a rack.

Brush the warm cakes with brandy or the liquor of your choice for 
added flavor. If you have a squeeze bottle, it's easy to apply the 
alcohol that way. Allow to cool completely while the remaining layers bake.

Bake two more cakes with the remaining batter, following the directions above.

To make the frosting: Whip the cream cheese with the sugar until 
light and fluffy.

Add the heavy cream and whip until firm peaks form.

To assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and top 
with a little less than one-fourth of the frosting. Add another cake 
layer and repeat the process, topping the final layer with the 
remaining frosting.

Refrigerate the cake until you're ready to serve, up to overnight.

To make the sugared cranberries: The day before you want to serve the 
cake, combine the water and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a small saucepan 
set over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring to 
dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Add the cranberries to the pot, cover, and place in the refrigerator 
for 8 hours, or overnight.

Pour the cranberries with the syrup through a strainer, reserving the 
syrup if desired for another use.

Toss the cranberries with the remaining sugar, and transfer them to a 
parchment-lined baking sheet or cooling rack to dry for 1 to 2 hours.

Just before serving, garnish the cake with sugared cranberries, or 
seasonal fresh or dried fruits or nuts.

Refrigerate any leftovers, well wrapped, for several days.

S(Internet address):
   https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/lofty-layered-fruitcake-recipe
                                     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 459 Calories; 26g Fat (50.5% 
calories from fat); 5g Protein; 54g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 
97mg Cholesterol; 194mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean 
Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 5 Fat; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 2020 - 1202