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Wendy's Fruitcake
4 lbs raisins
4 lbs currants
Soak above overnite in apple juice, then drain. (This could also be brandy - but for the above amount of fruit, that's a lot of brandy.)
2 lbs peel - I use lemon, orange and citron and mix them up myself.
1 1/2 lbs chopped nuts
1 lb cherries*
1/2 pineapple**
bit of ginger
Mix together with 2 1/2 - 3 cups flour - to coat
*I don't use marishino cherries because I don't like them. Instead I use a variety of dried fruits - apples, papaya, cranberries, cherries, mango etc - whatever you like and can afford
** I don't use candied - I use the whole sliced dried pineapple.
Sift together: 1/2 tsp+ baking soda
1 l/2 tsp each - allspice, cinnamon, cloves
1/2 tsp salt
about 5 cups flour - you want enough batter to hold the fruit together and that's all.
Cream together:
1+ cup butter - I use 1/2 cups
9 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup apple juice - I use from the drained above
Add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Add to fruit.
This recipe makes 20 lbs of cake, more or less. I usually get around 22 lbs. So, make it in a great big pot. I've finally realized that it is much easier on my body to mix it with my hands than to mix with a wooden spoon.
Bake in prepared pans at 275-300 degrees for up to 2 hours. I use parchment lined pans - I no longer butter or crisco the parchment paper. I put a pan of water in the oven when baking the cakes.
Cool.
Wrap in cheesecloth soaked in brandy, then wrap in foil.
I also poke holes in the top of the cake and douse in brandy before wrapping in cheesecloth.
Keep in a cool dark place. Check periodically to be sure the cheesecloth stays moist.
ENJOY.