Mama's White Fruit Cake(Family Favorite)

Recipe Rating:	2 Ratings5
Categories:	Cakes, Fruit Desserts, Other Desserts
Collections:	Butter is Better!
Keywords:	nutty, tasty, fruity, Lemony
Serves:	12 -14 depending on appetites
Prep Time:	35 Min
Cook Time:	2 Hr 30 Min

Ingredients

4 c	all purpose flour
1 lb	butter, softened, room temperature
1 lb	candied cherries, halved
2 oz	pure lemon extract (4 tablespoons or 1/4 cup)
2 c	sugar
6	extra large eggs, separated
4 c	pecans, chopped

Pinched by Pattycakes10, and 177 more.

Rose Mary Mogan

Well Seasoned

Sauk Village, IL (pop. 10,506)

cookinginillinois

Member Since Sep 2011

Rose Mary's Notes:

This recipe has been in our family for as long as I can remember, at least 55 years or more. The only time we ever got this cake was at Christmas time. We would pick the pecans from the trees and then shell them & save them for mama to make this cake and Pecan Pies for the Christmas Holiday. My brother A.W. & I enjoy making this all time family favorite. It is especially good for those that think they do not like fruit cake. It only has one fruit I sometimes use red & green cherries, or just one color, plus the nuts, and the flavor from the lemon extract is intoxicating. You will love it.

Directions

PREHEAT OVEN TO 250 DEGREES F. Line a 12 cup bundt pan with greased parchment paper or brown paper bag, & then dust with flour, and set aside.

Cream butter & sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Gradually add the flour, a little at a time. Stir in the cherries and pecans. When the batter becomes stiff, add the lemon extract, mixing well until blended.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, but are not dry. Fold into the cake batter until blended. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake in preheated 250 degree F. oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Cool the cake in pan on a rack for 1 hour. Invert cake onto rack. Remove liner, and cool completely, right- side up.

This recipe is dedicated to the memory of my mother Barbara S. Goldmon, my first culinary instructor, that had so much patience to teach me what she knew how to do best. She made this cake for as long as I can remember, and each time I make it, it reminds me of her, and her true patience. If you want to know patience try cooking this cake at 250 degrees for 2 and a half hours in a wood stove, where you need to constantly add wood to maintain the temperature. That's patience my friend. Here is to you mama with love.

I just made this cake for the first time WITHOUT THE BROWN PAPER BAG, OR PARCHMENT PAPER. I used the BAKERS JOY, AND THE CAKE TURNED OUT WONDERFULLY. jUST THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. I have made it for years strickly as it was written, but now I know if I use BAKERS JOY, I do not need the parchment paper or brown bag. YIPPEE.

Comments

1-12 of 42 comments

Showing OLDEST First
(Switch to Newest First)

Rose Mary Mogan cookinginillinois

Rose Mary Mogan [cookinginillinois] has shared this recipe with discussion groups:
~ LOVE YOUR HEART~
Everything Desserts made Easy
Daughters of the KING
Southern Cooks Unite
Sweet Tooth
CHATTERBOX
Cooking Pen Pals - The Lost Art Of Letter Writing.
everything but the kitchen sink
Recipe Sharing
Southern Recipes

Stormy Stewart karlyn255

Stormy Stewart [karlyn255] has shared this recipe with discussion groups:
Easy Recipes for Caregivers
Gifts from the Pantry
Heriloom Recipes
Magic in the Kitchen
The Coffee Monkey
Unique Recipes and Tips
USA State Recipes

Vanessa "Nikita"... Kitkat777

Vanessa "Nikita" Milare [Kitkat777] has shared this recipe with discussion groups:
Delectable Delights
E-Mail Pen Pal Recipe
JUST CAKES
Kitchen Mishaps & Bloopers: LOL
Preferred Products Past and Present
Stories to Ponder

Susan Feliciano frenchtutor

Mar 23, 2012

The fluting on a Bundt pan would seem to make it hard to line with parchment paper - do you have any tips for this? Or could I use a regular flat-sided tube pan?

Rose Mary Mogan cookinginillinois

Mar 23, 2012

I have used both in the past Susan, but prefer to use the plain 1 piece pan myself, and I have made it in a 2 piece tube pan also, which ever makes it easier for you, I always say. Thanks for your question. I appreciate it, and appreciate you also.

CinStraw's Kitchen CinStraw

Apr 24, 2012

SiserRose...can hardly wait until you make this one for us to see.
I just bet yours is beautiful.

I'm with Susan...seems a bundt pan would be hard to line with parchment paper.

Have you ever tried it useing lots of Crisco to grease it really good them flour it good???

I'm not very good at lining with parchment unless it a 8x8 or 9x13 baking pan.

Rose Mary Mogan cookinginillinois

Apr 24, 2012

Cindy, Yes I need to get on it very soon to beat the deadline.. Yes a bundt pan would be challenging, that is why I also mentioned the one piece and 2 piece tube pan, what ever you have that is easier for you to use, it what I would choose.

I just stuck with the recipe as it was written all those many years ago, the way my mama made it, but she was baking in a wood stove, so I am sure it would be a lot easier now a days in a gas or electric stove. Maybe even without the brown paper or parchment paper. It is such an expensive cake to make, that for fear of messing it up, I just always made it the way it was originally written. I will let you know if I do change any thing in the recipe. Thanks again.

CinStraw's Kitchen CinStraw

Apr 24, 2012

I have an antique tube pan (1 piece) and I think when I make this I'll make it in that....and I'm gona try lots of crisco w/flour instead of the parchment (since I'm not good at getting parchment smooth in a tube pan).
Will let ya know Sis, when (if) it happens..=;D

Rose Mary Mogan cookinginillinois

Apr 24, 2012

Well that sounds like a great idea Cindy, using the antique tube pan. Now adays they have the bakers joy with the flour in it, and it really does work well. I used that when I made the Chocolate Marble Sour Cream Pound Cake & Frosting it turned out faboulous in the pan. I might even try that when I make it, and see what happens. It might be an EXPENSIVE MISTAKE if it doesn't turn out right. LOL Except it wont be funny if it fails to turn out right. Smile.

Susan Feliciano frenchtutor