2 C water
1/4 C oil
2 eggs
2 1-pound packages of quick bread – I like the date one, but cranberry is also good
1 C chopped dates
2 C whole pecans
2 lbs. chopped fruit cake mix
8 oz. cut-up candied pineapple
2T flour for high altitudes
24 or more maraschino cherries - see the 2nd paragraph*
Heat oven to 325º. Line three 8x4x3” loaf pans with parchment paper. Use the 2nd pan to push the paper into shape, leaving some hanging over the edge to facilitate removing the loaf from the pan.
In a large bowl, combine water, oil and eggs. Beat well. Add all the remaining ingredients. Pour into lined pans. They’ll be about 3/4 full. *At this point, my maternal grandmother always punched a solid row of maraschino cherries down the middle of the loaf, just below the top of the batter. That way, every piece has a slice of cherry.
Bake at 325º for one hour and 15 minutes. Insert an oven-safe digital thermometer in the center of the middle loaf and close the oven door. When the temp has reached 200º the loaves are done to perfection. The extra cooking time may be as little as 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for at least an hour, then remove them, pull off the parchment paper and seal each loaf in a large baggie or plastic wrap. They can be refrigerated for two weeks or frozen by a meal sealer for a year – as proved by one we ate yesterday from the previous Christmas. I love my meal sealer.
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