I love experimenting with different fruit cake recipes from year to year. Plan to try your cranberry-orange one soon. I have a very old (60+ yrs-old) recipe for "black cake" that calls for 20 cups of chopped fruit and brandy for curing it. [I use Gran Marnier.] My easy-to-remember timeline is this: on Halloween, chop the fruit and soak in brandy (or rum or other alcohol) in an airtight container. Thanksgiving weekend, bake the cakes. From baking day to Christmas Eve--cure the cakes: brush with brandy (or other alcohol) every 3rd day. Keep tightly wrapped while curing. Hubby sometimes eats it warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

• Reply