Vintage Lemon-Kissed Light Fruitcake: Mrs. Allingham’s Timeless Delight

Mrs. Allingham’s Light Fruitcake Recipe 🍰

Description: Unearthed from the faded pages of a vintage cookbook found at an estate sale, Mrs. Allingham’s Light Fruitcake is a delightful relic from the past. This recipe, transcribed as originally written, carries the charm of tradition and the promise of a sweet, fruity treat. While I haven’t yet had the pleasure of baking it myself, the allure of its old-fashioned appeal beckons me to the kitchen to give it a try.

• Category: Breads
• Keywords: Dessert, Fruit, Canadian, Kid Friendly, Kosher, Christmas, Weeknight, For Large Groups, Oven, < 4 Hours
• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 3 hours
• Total Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Servings: 24
• Calories per Serving: 168.1
• Nutritional Information per Serving:
  • Fat: 8.7g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.1g
  • Cholesterol: 55.6mg
  • Sodium: 132mg
  • Carbohydrates: 20.5g
  • Fiber: 1.2g
  • Sugar: 7.7g
  • Protein: 2.8g

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup bleached sultana raisins
• 1 lemon (for juice and zest)

Instructions:

1. Prepare Ingredients: Begin by ensuring all your ingredients are at room temperature. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius). Grease and flour your baking pans or line them with buttered brown paper for easy removal.

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2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This process can take a few minutes and is crucial for achieving the desired texture of your fruitcake.

3. Incorporate Eggs: Add the eggs to the creamed mixture one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Beat the mixture thoroughly after adding each egg to incorporate air and create a light, fluffy batter.

4. Prepare Fruit Mixture: Place the bleached sultana raisins in a separate bowl and toss them with one cup of flour until they are well coated. This step helps to prevent the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.

5. Combine Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agents and salt throughout the batter, resulting in a uniformly risen and seasoned cake.

6. Incorporate Lemon: Zest the lemon to extract the fragrant outer peel, being careful to avoid the bitter white pith. Then, juice the lemon to yield approximately 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice.

7. Mix Batter: Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage, as it can result in a tough cake.

8. Fold in Fruit: Gently fold the flour-coated raisins into the batter until evenly distributed. Add the lemon zest and juice, mixing until just combined. The batter should be thick and well combined, with no streaks of flour remaining.

9. Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pans, smoothing the top with a spatula. Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

10. Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove the fruitcake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice the fruitcake into generous portions and serve with a cup of tea or your favorite holiday beverage.

11. Storage: Store any leftover fruitcake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to three months.

Notes:

• Mrs. Allingham’s original recipe provides a nostalgic glimpse into the culinary traditions of days gone by. Feel free to experiment with different dried fruits and nuts to customize this fruitcake to your taste preferences.
• While the recipe doesn’t specify the size or number of baking pans to use, I recommend using two 9×5-inch loaf pans or one 10-inch tube pan for best results.
• Don’t be alarmed by the long baking time; slow and low baking ensures a moist and tender crumb, allowing the flavors to develop beautifully over time.
• Serve slices of this light fruitcake as a festive dessert during the holiday season or enjoy a slice with a cup of tea for a cozy afternoon treat.