November 11, 2010

fruit cake, anyone?

Yesterday I spent the day with Mimi & Gram (Mike's mom & grandmother) making fruitcake. Since we've done it two years in a row now I think we can call it a tradition. 

The day started with a trip to Geralds Holiday Baking Center in Greenville. If I had known about this little jewel before yesterday I would probably be broke. It is the cutest little store (although it is in a pretty sketchy little shopping center). There are buckets and buckets of nuts, dried fruits of all kinds, sticky fruits (for fruit cakes of course), cheese straws, chex mix-ish stuff, pretzels, chocolate and so much more. It was heaven! They also sell jams, spiced things (like peaches), and holiday tins. You can even pick out what assortment of stuff you want in the tins. Sorry, I have no pictures of Geralds to insert here.


Me & Gram gettin' started.
for this fruitcake we use "Gram's Never Fail Pound Cake"
(i'll add the recipe when I get home)


 workin' hard


 *the Never Fail Poundcake recipe makes 2x the batter you'll need
(either cut it in half, or save the rest for a small pound cake which is what i did! it is delicious)
*also, for the paper in the bottom of the loaf pans - simply cut a brown paper bag to fit the bottom...and grease it with Crisco


 the "sticky" fruit all mixed together.
1.5lb red & green cherries
0.5lb pineapple rings
0.5 box white raisins
2.5 cups chopped pecans
(soak over night in 1/2 tsp lemon, 1/2 tsp orange, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/8 tsp almond flavoring)


 Mimi, Gram & Me


 Mere, Gram & Me
we've mixed the batter and the fruit and are pouring it into the loaf pans
bake at 325 for an hour for the babies, 1.5 hrs for the big loaf! (or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean)


 Baby Fruit Cakes!
(the baby ones came from mini loaf pans that Mimi got at Garden Ridge...the recipe makes enough for 5 baby fruit cakes & one regular sized loaf)

My dad's birthday is coming up & his favorite is fruitcake..happy early birthday dad! (:

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