Recipe: Golden Fruit Cake [edit]

Step 1

Butter and flour baking pans (choices follow).

Step 2

In a large bowl with mixer, beat 2/3 cup butter and the sugar until well mixed. Beat in eggs until blended. Stir in applesauce and lemon peel.

Step 3

In another bowl, mix 3 1/3 cups flour with baking soda, ginger, coriander, and baking powder. Add to egg mixture and beat until blended. Stir in mangoes, pineapple, and nuts.

Step 4

Fill pan (or pans; see following) as directed.

Step 5

Bake in a 325 degree oven (300 degrees in a convection oven) until cake is browned, pulling from pan sides, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (for time, see following).

Step 6

Set cake (or cakes) in pan on a rack to cool 15 to 20 minutes. To remove cake from metal pans, run a thin-bladed knife between cake and pan, then invert onto a rack. Or leave in pans or paper baking molds. Let cake stand until cool. Serve or wrap airtight and chill up to 2 weeks; freeze to store longer.

Step 7

This recipe yields 1 tube cake (12-cup size), 2 loaf cakes (about 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches), or 6 loaf cakes (about 3 by 5 1/2 inches).

Step 8

Comments: Mile-high bakers need to increase flour to 4 1/2 cups, reduce sugar to 2 cups, and increase applesauce to 2 cups; baking time may be about 10 minutes less.

Step 9

To make 1 tube cake (4 1/4 to 4 1/2 lbs): Follow directions for golden fruit cake (preceding), using a nonstick 10-inch-wide (12-cup) tube pan. Scrape all the cake batter into pan. Bake as directed, about 1 1/2 hours.

Step 10

To make 2 loaf cakes (2 1/8 to 2 1/4 lbs each): Follow directions for golden fruit cake (preceding), using 2 loaf pans (metal or paper baking molds), each about 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches. Divide cake batter equally between pans. Bake as directed, about 1 1/2 hours.

Step 11

To make 6 loaf cakes (about 3/4 lb each): Follow directions for golden fruit cake (preceding), using 6 loaf pans, each about 3 by 5 1/2 inches (metal or paper baking molds). Divide cake batter equally among pans. Bake as directed, about 50 minutes.