This is Grandma Mable’s recipe that she sent to Uncle Tim with some modifications and comments that he and Oma made. While the recipe calls for an angel food cake pan, Uncle Tim only remembers Grandma making in loaf pans. So, that is the way I will make it too 🙂
Instead of using candy fruitcake mix, mix and match your favorite combination of dried fruits; such as apricots, cranberries, currants, golden raisins, candied ginger, orange peel and a few candied cherries.
I grew up on canned cranberry sauce. I was never fond of it even though I enjoy the tart taste of cranberries. Then one day, I discovered homemade cranberry sauce!
After much experimenting with different recipes, Andrea and I settled on this one as an easy favorite. Feel free to make it a few days early and store tightly covered until needed. We almost always double the recipe and rarely have leftovers.
Oma gave this recipe to Mark many years ago after she made them for Easter dinner and he really enjoyed them and wanted to make more. Her original recipe did not call for most of the spices, but we prefer them with it.
When we tried making some eggrolls, one of the recipes called for Chinese Five spice. I did not have any and did not want to run to the store for a small amount.
While ground spices work for this recipe, using freshly ground is much better!
If you do not have many recipes that uses Chinese Five Spice, I read to try it in your favorite ginger or molasses cookie recipe.