Preparation:
1.Cream margarine and sugar until slightly "fluffy"; mix in yolks of eggs and then the lemon extract.
2. Mix in flour; batter should be very heavy and start to stick to tself and not the bowl (like play-doh).
3. Add fruits and nuts; mix thoroughly (by hand).
4. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks
5. Fold in egg whites--suggest you use your hands. Batter will now be extremely gooey--and so will your hands.
6. Have greased and floured pans ready nearby; fill by handfuls. 7. Bake at 300 degrees (original recipe says 'in a slow oven') about 1 8.hour and 10 minutes for "baby" loaves.
Cakes should be a LIGHT golden brown; the raisins on the outside will turn black. If you 9.break open a sample cake, it should be extremely moist inside but 10.no longer liquid. Eggs being the only leavening, they don't rise 11.much.
Serving suggestions and Notes: Cool to touch and then pop out of the pans; completely cool about 4-5 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil (for gifts). They freeze nicely.
The fruitcake for those who hate fruitcake--and don't we all! My grandmother cut this recipe out of the paper in the 1920s when it won a contest held by a margarine company; "oleo" had just been invented. We've been making it ever since--I make about a dozen batches a year for relatives and friends. It's very easy and quick and EVERYBODY loves it.
Makes five disposable aluminum foil "baby" loaves (greased a |
