BERMUDA CHRISTMAS CAKE 1977

“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.” 

― Laura Ingalls Wilder

 BERMUDA CHRISTMAS CAKE 1977
   My mother always tried to make a somewhat edible xmas cake come  November. She made exceptional shortbread and mincemeat tarts that were the size of tennis balls. But alas, her fruitcake was  rather sad. Even she  acknowledged that. The attempt was not an idle one.  Fruit would be soaked in sherry, butter beaten with eggs and molasses poured from silver spoons. But her cake was  rather listless. My mother wrapped it in sherry-soaked cheesecloth and leave it to its own devices. Ever hopeful that by some miracle it could be saved. 

1970's

Then one late fall, the new neighbours moved in next door. From Bermuda.Suddenly , the neigbourhood got really interesting. Apparently,  they loved to entertain. Apparently, they could both cook. Apparently, they could make fruitcake.....

 They asked us over, for their first Christmas,  one December,  in the late 1970's. I remember the Sunday afternoon was grey, wet and green. Typical Victoria weather. My mother wrapped up a ginger jar with shortbread stuffed inside. Her little round short breads doused in icing sugar, and each one topped with candied peel and a few silver dragees. Sublime.

 Their house was like a museum of beautiful things they had collected over the years. We settled in for tea and  goodies. They hauled out a tea cart complete with full tea service and a large square fruitcake covered in marzipan and smothered with fluffy buttercream frosting. It was decorated with paper  holly leaves. It was the biggest fruitcake I had ever seen.

 Then they sliced into it and served us each a hunk ( not a  piece) , a hunk of fruitcake .It was dark, rich, moist and perfect. First taste and I wanted more. I can still taste it. A tang that was indescribable, raisins, dates, prunes perfect with a slight  hint of fruit. No boozy aftertaste. They soaked the fruit first then baked it. Frosting and marzipan melting perfectly together. And the cake. The cake was tender. Not dry and crumbly.It was wonderful.I don't think my mother appreciated the fact that I got to take home about half of the remaining cake. Her cake got left in the back cupboard, while we doled out the rest of the Bermuda  cake as we called it. They even gave us the recipe. ........

 SOAK in IN LARGE BOWL:                                

6 cups dark raisins ,1 ½ cups chopped dates , 1 pound mixed peel,  ½ pound candied cherries , 2 cups almonds,  1 cup walnuts , 1 cup pecans,  2 cups prunes,Add 2 ½ cups Whiskey or a bit more. 

PREHEAT OVEN to 300F. Grease and line 11-16 small loaf tins. 

 BEAT BATTER in LARGER BOWL:   2 cups butter, 2 cups sugar,12 eggs beaten in one at a time.Add  1 tsp vanilla, 2 tbsp almond extract,1/2 cup molasses,  1/2 cup apple juice ,1 cup strong coffee, 1/2 cup cocoa powder ( this helps richen the colour)

                                                                                                                                                     

 COMBINE: 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp allspice, 4 tsp cinnamon,1/2 tsp cloves.

 MIX: Flour ingredients with wet ingredients. Then add  all the fruit. You may have to mix with your hands. That's the fun part. I highly recommend it. Make sure you're hands are clean though!

 "Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love." -Hamilton Wright Mabie

 Plop batter into loaf pans. Smooth tops. Bake in oven on cookie sheets for about an hour. Test to see how they are doing at the 40 minute mark.  Add time as needed till tester comes out clean. You can also use larger loaf pans. But I never do, since these are the right size for freezing and the cakes are beautiful on their own. 

 When cooled you can add a layer of marzipan and frosting, but these days I rarely see any Christmas cake done that way.  But  I must say, when I was a teenager, sitting by the fire in our neighbour's house, it was a mighty yummy sight!

 There were many more Christmas get togethers with the neighbours from Bermuda. Many more rich dark cakes, log fires, and Christmas carols on the record player.Those were lovely days. They told stories about  Bermuda and we listened. My mother really liked them a lot. They were kind and generous. In the years to come they eventually moved somewhere else, and those times we had with them ended. 
      And the fruitcake that my mother made that first year, never did see the light of day again. It vanished from the cooling cupboard in which it had been placed. I think it ended up becoming stuffing for the turkey that year.  A fitting ending. It was much better as stuffing, as my mother observed..............

 “And in despair I bowed my head; There is no peace on earth," I said;
For hate is strong,And mocks the songOf peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,the Right prevail,With peace on earth, good-will to men!” 
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

                                                         1979 xmas tableaux

SHIRLEY's CHRISTMAS CAKE 1997

"Christmas, my child, is love in action.Every time we love, every time we give, it is Christmas in action." -Dale Evans

 SHIRLEY's CHRISTMAS CAKE  1997 
I love this fruitcake recipe. Not just because it is really wonderful. But because it came from my good friend, Shirley, in Fredericton, New Brunswick.  She and her husband lived across the road from us. She still lives across there, all these years later. We talk across the miles, and the miles evaporate. Every Christmas I make this cake I think of her, and of our friendship. And every year I make it, I phone to tell her. "Shirley! I'm making your cake!"I think of the warmth and blessings I have received from her across the years.I am the luckiest person in the world .

 When I first met Shirley, my family and I  were waiting outside our new house in Fredericton. The moving truck had not arrived. But Shirley did. With her young grand children in tow. They carried cakes, pies, cookies, goodies and bubbly warmth and happiness. I loved her the minute we met. Shirley's incredible humour and love of God  was infectious.  Even when we are now so far away on the West Coast.  So, Merry Christmas, Shirley,let your light shine!

 COMBINE FRUIT in BOWL:                                                                       

3 cups golden raisins combined with dried cranberries , if your so wish.                                                   2 cups glazed /dried fruit ( your choice)                   

6 candied / dried pineapple rings, cut up                   

1/3 cups orange peel/fresh or candied               

¾ cup chopped dried apricots

 ½ cup candied ginger  ( if you wish)                          

1 ½ cups chopped almonds                                          

1 ½ cups pecan halves                                                 

1 cup flour for dusting fruit                                      

1 cup of Grand Marnier Brandy

½ cup orange juice, or ground up orange, to go with brandy

 LET FRUIT SIT a day at least to let the booze soak in.I don't think Shirley used Grand marnier in hers, but I find it gives it an extra zap ( it bakes in, anyways.) This year I used Blackberry wine instead, and it turned the batter golden. 

 "The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of love and generosity and goodness. It illuminates the picture window of the soul,and we look out upon the world's busy life,and become more interested in people than in things."
                                                  -Thomas S. Monson

                      BATTER:                                               

                                                    1 tsp almond extract        

1 pound butter                              1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups white sugar                         3 cups flour

10 large eggs                                  pinch of salt

                                                     1 tsp baking powder

          Line  small loaf pans with greased parchment paper. You can find loaf pans in the section of the grocery store where they sell foil and cling wrap. I find it makes about 10-13 small loaf pans.

 Mix batter with mix master till smooth.

 From BATTER List, cream butter with sugar, add eggs 1 at a time. Add the remaining ingredients from this list.  

Byrdy...14 weeks. Watches.

 When the batter is ready, pour in the fruit that has been standing. Mix with hands 
( clean hands).

 Divide batter between pans. The small loaf tins work so well as they freeze great and are the perfect size for gift giving. I mail these even down into the States. They arrive intact. 

 Bake at 300 degrees for about 1  ½ hours ( give or take. Sometimes it takes an hour). I kind of guesstimate the time, and check after 40 minutes by testing the centre.  

Byrdy and best friend, Poe....

 You do not want to over bake the little loaf pans , so check often.  The batch this year made 13 small loaf pans. Wrap when cool and freeze until ready to mail, or eat. 

Cordelia

 I mail these in the foil pans, by the way.  When giving away locally, put an ingredient list on the top of the cake so everyone can see what is in it. I don't brush cake tops with any alcohol. I don't think it needs it. 

 "God never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving.If He gives us the gift of Christmas it is because we have the ability to understand and receive it." -Pope Francis

Couldn't resist. Smokey about ten days ago.....

AMISH CHRISTMAS CAKE

"Some people are born for Halloween, and some are just counting the days till Christmas." -Stephen Graham Jones

 AMISH CHRISTMAS CAKE

(makes about 7 or 8 small loaves.Actually I kind of did it by sight, instead of actual measuring. I used a medium pyrex bowl and just filled it up  till at the brim . That may not be  great for everyone. So I’ve included my estimation of what I used. You can’t go wrong, no matter what)

2016 xmas pics

 PREHEAT OVEN for 325 F. Get your foil pans ready. Sprayed and parchment paper lined.

 2 cups large seedless raisins, 2 cups dates, cut in half, 2 cups prunes, cut in half.

2 cups candied fruit ( thereabouts) ,      2 ½ cups sugar

½ bottle of wine,  etc. I used Blackberry wine. Use whatever you have on hand.

10 tablespoons margarine or shortening ( not butter)

 "Christmas isn't just a season. It's a feeling." -Edna Ferber

 BOIL the above ingredients in a large pot with about an extra cup or so of hot water. Boil 20 minutes. Then leave to cool ( completely) in the fridge.

 Takes a few hours. You could boil this in morning and then make up cake later in day.

 "Christmas is not just a season or rejoicing, but of reflecting." 
                                                  -Winston Churchill
 CAKE:

6 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 4 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp gr cloves, pinch salt,2 cups chopped nuts ( I happened to have walnuts . You can use whatever you have)

 Mix in the cooled fruit mixture. You might have to use your hands to do this. It will be sticky and VERY thick batter. 

 BAKING:  have ready small foil pans, sprayed with veggie spray and parchment paper. You can do in larger. But smaller is great. You can freeze them and take out just what you need. 

 "Christmas gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us - a time when we can look back on the year that has passed and prepare for the year ahead." - David Cameron

 BAKE at 325 for about 50 minutes. Test to see if done. Add time if  tester comes out covered in dough or is cakey. Should be clean. Every oven is different and you can adjust accordingly. I think with my convection oven it took about 1 hr. 15 mins. But that is a guesstimate. In the original recipe  it calls for 1 hr 15 mins for two big loaf pans. 

 COOL. BAG. FREEZE. Slices nice and even. Good tangy taste, but not too much.

Photographs 2016 and 2017