October is State Fair time. Today's issue was about Award - Winning Fair recipes. It's an annual competition and a time for Texans to enter their best recipes at the State Fair. The Fair is held in Dallas, Texas.
One of the stories was about a contestant that won in 1996 and the recipe was judged by Julia Child.The recipe was published in todays paper. It's Sue Rainey's Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Caramel Whipped Cream Filling. The story was interesting, but I didn't feel the need to publish a Chocolate Cake recipe. I decided to write about another recipe and talk about one of my favorite Pastry Chefs.
Rebecca Rather lives in Fredericksburg, in the Hill Country, of Texas. She is one , if not my very favorite, pastry chef.
I follow her blog, I have all of her cook cookbooks and I embrace everything she creates. She obviously has a Texas Twist to everything she does. I highly recommend trying to find her cook books if you are interested in how we cook, eat and entertain in Texas.
This is the recipe that won Lillian Greenslade first place in the Fall Family Favorites category last year at the State Fair. She based it on a recipe from Fredericksburg chef Rebecca Rather, Pastry Queen. I want to add the original recipe at the end of this one. Lillian made some changes and I think it's important to include the original recipe at the end.
Southern Fruitcake:
3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 C sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS lemon extract
2 C flour
1 TBS baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 C chopped, toasted pecans + additional for garnish
1 C chopped dates
2 1/2 C (mixed) chopped dried apricots, cherries and pineapple + additional for garnish
3/4 C Apricot or Peach Preserves / Jam,( not jelly).
Brandy
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Brush a 10" Bundt Pan with my Pan Release Recipe ( on the blog under Tips, Hints and More)
In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment:
butter
sugar
Beat until creamy and smooth, at least 2 minutes
Add:
eggs
vanilla
lemon extract
Beat 1 minute
Add:
flour
baking soda
salt
Beat just until well combined
Fold in:
pecans
dates
dried fruits
jam
Spoon batter into the pan
Bake 1 1/2 hours, until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan
Cool completely in the pan
When cooled, remove from the pan
Brush the top of the cake with the Brandy and wrap the cake in heavy foil.
Refrigerate for several weeks and brush the cake with Brandy each week.
Decorate the cake with additional fruit and pecans.
This is the original recipe from Rebecca Rather's , The Pastry Queen Christmas.
Aunt Milbry's Fruitcake:
3/4 C ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 C sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 C all purpose flour
1 TBS baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 un-peeled Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
2 C pecans, toasted and chopped
1 C chopped dates
1 C chopped Calimynra Figs
1 C mixed dried fruit, such as, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, golden raisins, chopped apricots or chopped peaches
3/4 C high quality preserves, such as apricot, pear, peach or fig
Brandy for brushing on top of the baked cake (optional)
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
Grease a 10 inch Angel Food cake pan with butter or cooking spray
Using an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
Add flour, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed until just combined.
Stir in the apple, pecans, dried fruits and preserves.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. ( it may have a few wet areas where the jam is concentrated, but it will firm up as it cools.) Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan; this will take a few hours. Using a pastry brush, paint a light layer of Brandy on top of the cooled cake., if you like. Wrap the cake in heavy-duty aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 2 months, brushing with the optional Brandy once a week.
TIP:
For an elegant dessert, slice the fruitcake and serve with Bourbon Whipped Cream:
Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 2 C heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Stir in 2 TBS Bourbon and 2 TBS powdered sugar.
Serve immediately atop a slice of fruitcake.
I hope that some of you will make this cake for the Holidays.
I know I will.
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!
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