Tell the truth Fruit Cake

[Hawkeye10]

I should mention because there might be three people at DP who will understand...the light fruit cake has golden raisins, the dark has both regular raisins and dates.

 

[vesper]

I should mention because there might be three people at DP who will understand...the light fruit cake has golden raisins, the dark has both regular raisins and dates.

Which one is made with brandy and which one is made with rum?

 

[Hawkeye10]

Which one is made with brandy and which one is made with rum?

The dark has a touch only of brandy because Grandpa and Grandma really did not drink and did not approve...that was for the soft people......, the light nothing......how did rum get here?

 

[vesper]

The dark has a touch only of brandy because Grandpa and Grandma really did not drink and did not approve...that was for the soft people......, the light nothing......how did rum get here?

Gosh Hawkeye there are numerous recipes out there for rum soaked fruitcake.

 

[Hawkeye10]

Gosh Hawkeye there are numerous recipes out there for rum soaked fruitcake.

My Grandma had some substance....she was willing to go her own way in the oven.

She knew what she was doing.

 

[Xelor]

My mom made fabulous meatloaf. Loaded with onion and other good stuff. Then with ketchup baked on the top till it was a dark red. Delicious.

Off-topic:

Red:
Oh, my God, yes!

If one's not going to put the "good stuff" in with the ground meat, why not simply make burgers? They're tasty too and cook a hell of a lot faster.

What "good stuff" goes in your (your mom's) meatloaf? In mine, I put:​

• 
  [*=1]Minced or diced (depending on how lazy I'm feeling at the time) onion
  [*=1]Shredded carrot
  [*=1]Sauteed julienned cabbage or sliced/shredded spinach (no need to precook the spinach and the non-baby stuff is fine, but canned isn't)
  • 
    [*=1]Low-and-slow sauteed w/butter, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire, hot pepper flakes, and white wine.
  [*=1]Sauteed minced yellow and green bell pepper
  [*=1]Chopped/sliced (four pieces per) grapes
  [*=1]Optional: When I feel like going "whole hog," homemade bacon bits
  [*=1]Note:
  • 
    [*=1]If you don't pre-saute the fruit and veggies, toss an extra tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs in your meat mix. You'll want them to help absorb the water that'll cook out of the fruits and veggies. When I'm too lazy to pre-saute, I take the loaf out about 5 minutes before it's done and pour off about half the liquid in the pan.

On top of mine:​

• 
  [*=1]On the ground meat directly --> barbecue sauce
  [*=1]On top of the sauce --> not-quite-caramelized onion (they'll be caramelized by the time they finish baking). I've also put raw rings on top and just "gone with it." That works too, but it doesn't have the sweetness and richness of caramelized onions. One's not better or worse than the other. They're just different flavors.
  [*=1]On top of the onions -->Bacon strips if I'm just cooking myself or immediate family/close friends and it's no special occasion
  • 
    [*=1]Miss Greene would put her "bacon bits" here as a layer of sorts. She didn't cook her "bits" to full crispy and they were more lardons or little "rectangles" than crumbled bits.
    
    She did this instead of simply laying strips because partially pre-cooking the bacon rendered a good bit of the bacon grease, thus ensuring the meatloaf didn't have too much grease in it. I use 93% lean ground beef and veal for my meatloaf, so I don't mind the bacon grease as it helps ensure my loaf doesn't come out dry.
    
    Whether I go with Miss Greene's way or my way comes down to how much work I want to put into prepping the bacon topping.
  [*=1]Added in the final five minutes of baking --> diced tomato sprinkled "here and there" but not a full covering of it

So there ya go. That's the whole "hoot 'n' holler of my meatloaf recipe (beyond the basics -- egg, crumbs, S&P). You can pare it back embellish it as you see fit.​

​

 

[Rexedgar]

I have always found another use for fruitcake; they are exceptionally sturdy door-stops!

 

[americanwoman]

I don't know about traditional fruit cakes. I've tried them before at friends houses and never have been impressed. I guess the closest thing I eat more often is tres leches con frutas, which is like a milky cake with fruit in the middle.

 

[Acadia]

I'm not fond of the traditional brick-like, neon-cherry fuit cakes, but but I do love German stolen and have made Italian panforte.

 

[PoS]

I don't know about traditional fruit cakes. I've tried them before at friends houses and never have been impressed. I guess the closest thing I eat more often is tres leches con frutas, which is like a milky cake with fruit in the middle.

Tres leches cake? Hmm, I never heard of such a cake before. I'll have to look for one and try it... :mrgreen:

 

[RobertU]

I usually buy a fruitcake each year from Harry & David. One year I made the mistake of buying their fruit cake confection, which is fruit cake without the cake. Eek!

 

[americanwoman]

Tres leches cake? Hmm, I never heard of such a cake before. I'll have to look for one and try it... :mrgreen:

It's delicious, if you like your cake real moist.

 

[PirateMk1]

I don't know about traditional fruit cakes. I've tried them before at friends houses and never have been impressed. I guess the closest thing I eat more often is tres leches con frutas, which is like a milky cake with fruit in the middle.

Well baby doll now we be writing about fruit cake. I wonder if carrot cake with an apricot chunky compote would come into that category of fruit cake? :mrgreen:

 

[PoS]

It's delicious, if you like your cake real moist.

Oh my grandma's cook used to make icebox cakes for the grandkids when I was growing up, so I'll pretty much eat any kind of cake. :mrgreen:

 

[americanwoman]

Well baby doll now we be writing about fruit cake. I wonder if carrot cake with an apricot chunky compote would come into that category of fruit cake? :mrgreen:

I don't know but carrot cake with apricot sure does sound good!

 

[americanwoman]

Oh my grandma's cook used to make icebox cakes for the grandkids when I was growing up, so I'll pretty much eat any kind of cake. :mrgreen:

Now I am the one who hasn't heard of a cake - icebox? I will have to check that one out now. :2razz:

 

[Brochacholomigo]

When I saw the title, I kinda assumed it was about some gay guy that OP was mad at. Apparently, people still talk about literal fruit cakes for some reason.

 

[PirateMk1]

Off-topic:

Red:
Oh, my God, yes!

If one's not going to put the "good stuff" in with the ground meat, why not simply make burgers? They're tasty too and cook a hell of a lot faster.

What "good stuff" goes in your (your mom's) meatloaf? In mine, I put:​

• 
  [*=1]Minced or diced (depending on how lazy I'm feeling at the time) onion
  [*=1]Shredded carrot
  [*=1]Sauteed julienned cabbage or sliced/shredded spinach (no need to precook the spinach and the non-baby stuff is fine, but canned isn't)
  • 
    [*=1]Low-and-slow sauteed w/butter, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire, hot pepper flakes, and white wine.
  [*=1]Sauteed minced yellow and green bell pepper
  [*=1]Chopped/sliced (four pieces per) grapes
  [*=1]Optional: When I feel like going "whole hog," homemade bacon bits
  [*=1]Note:
  • 
    [*=1]If you don't pre-saute the fruit and veggies, toss an extra tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs in your meat mix. You'll want them to help absorb the water that'll cook out of the fruits and veggies. When I'm too lazy to pre-saute, I take the loaf out about 5 minutes before it's done and pour off about half the liquid in the pan.

On top of mine:​

• 
  [*=1]On the ground meat directly --> barbecue sauce
  [*=1]On top of the sauce --> not-quite-caramelized onion (they'll be caramelized by the time they finish baking). I've also put raw rings on top and just "gone with it." That works too, but it doesn't have the sweetness and richness of caramelized onions. One's not better or worse than the other. They're just different flavors.
  [*=1]On top of the onions -->Bacon strips if I'm just cooking myself or immediate family/close friends and it's no special occasion
  • 
    [*=1]Miss Greene would put her "bacon bits" here as a layer of sorts. She didn't cook her "bits" to full crispy and they were more lardons or little "rectangles" than crumbled bits.
    
    She did this instead of simply laying strips because partially pre-cooking the bacon rendered a good bit of the bacon grease, thus ensuring the meatloaf didn't have too much grease in it. I use 93% lean ground beef and veal for my meatloaf, so I don't mind the bacon grease as it helps ensure my loaf doesn't come out dry.
    
    Whether I go with Miss Greene's way or my way comes down to how much work I want to put into prepping the bacon topping.
  [*=1]Added in the final five minutes of baking --> diced tomato sprinkled "here and there" but not a full covering of it

So there ya go. That's the whole "hoot 'n' holler of my meatloaf recipe (beyond the basics -- egg, crumbs, S&P). You can pare it back embellish it as you see fit.​

​

We actually strive to keep the fat in the meatloaf because that's were the flavor is. We typically instead of breadcrumbs use oats with a bit of rice if I am feeling like it for fat and moisture absorption and retention not to mention stretching the meat along with plenty of raw onion diced small. Garlic and celery diced fine and a bit of salt and pepper are also in the mix with egg to bind mixed just enough to be mixed thoroughly and stick together in a rough loaf. We put the ketchup on about halfway through so it cooks down. The savory contrasting with the sweetness is very good. I typically use 80% lean ground beef. Through it varies on what is left in the freezer so it will vary as to what will be ground.

I think I will try your version, will sour dough bread crumbs work with it?

 

[PirateMk1]

I don't know but carrot cake with apricot sure does sound good!

Especially with a lightly sweetened cream cheese icing. :lol:

 

[Xelor]

We actually strive to keep the fat in the meatloaf because that's were the flavor is. We typically instead of breadcrumbs use oats with a bit of rice if I am feeling like it for fat and moisture absorption and retention not to mention stretching the meat along with plenty of raw onion diced small. Garlic and celery diced fine and a bit of salt and pepper are also in the mix with egg to bind mixed just enough to be mixed thoroughly and stick together in a rough loaf. We put the ketchup on about halfway through so it cooks down. The savory contrasting with the sweetness is very good. I typically use 80% lean ground beef. Through it varies on what is left in the freezer so it will vary as to what will be ground.

I think I will try your version, will sour dough bread crumbs work with it?

Whatever breadcrumbs suit you will be fine.

I like the oats/rice idea. I'm gonna give that a shot and see whether it helps with water absorption if I use all raw veggies. I'm kinda hoping it does for less prep time is always a good thing.

 

[Hawkeye10]

When I saw the title, I kinda assumed it was about some gay guy that OP was mad at. Apparently, people still talk about literal fruit cakes for some reason.

I was trying to be cute, did it work?

Lots of fruit cake gets eaten even now.

Fruit cake as very conversation worthy.