"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 11 Nov 2015 10:13:40 -0000, "Ophelia" >
> wrote:
>>
>>
>> It always makes me smile when I read here that people have started making
>> fruitcakes. Many years ago I was making mine, and an American said to
>> me,
>> 'Do you all make these and give them to each other?' )
>
> In general, Americans don't like fruitcake and equivocate them with
> doorstops. I like to make my own, so I can have more cake than
> fruit... because that's the way I like it and I prefer the blonde
> style over brunette. Unfortunately, I'm the only one in my family
> that likes fruitcake so I'm left eating it on my own. As a result, I
> don't make them anymore.
>
> One thing I'd like to do someday is try fruitcake English style with a
> slice of cheddar cheese.
>
> --
>
> sf

I usually make a couple of my deceased mother in laws recipe at Christmas.
They are white fruit cakes, with no citron and I like them a lot.

This is the recipe she used:

2 pounds butter at room temperature
4 cups sugar
12 eggs separated (save whites for later in recipe)
2 oz pure lemon extract
8 cups flour
2 pounds golden raisins
1 pound candied cherries (a combination of green and red looks pretty)
1 pound candied pineapple
2 lbs of walnuts or combination of nuts of choice

In large bowl cream butter and sugar until light, add beaten egg yolks a
little at a time.

Add flour one cup at a time until blended, then add lemon extract. Rough
chop fruit and nuts, lightly dust them with flour, and stir into mixture.
Don't use a mixer for this step or your mixture will turn color from the
cherries.

Beat egg whites until medium soft peak stage and carefully fold into
mixture.

Line loaf pans with double sheets of cut up brown grocery bag paper and
grease paper, this keeps the loaves from developing a crust and keeps them
light.

Bake at 275 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on loaf size, or until a
toothpick comes out fairly clean when inserted in the middle. Don't
overcook.

Makes 6 loaves and recipe can easily be halved for smaller amount.