Bread machine Christmas cake????????

[glowstick]

I know that, in theory it seems logical but, has anyone actually attempted it?

[Lesley]

You could never do a traditional christmas cake in a regular bread machine, the cooking time is too long and it requires a lower temperature that a bread machine offers. Possibly in one of the higher end machines that give you full control of the kneading/rising and cooking times and temperatures. I'd aim for a dessert type fruit bread and add traditional christmas cake fruits and flavourings to it.

If you do find anything I'd be interested in hearing about it. I had a look online and didn't see anything but it was a quick look.

[Big Ben]

We have great luck every Xmas with Robin Hood fruitcake (light). It is $5.99 at Sobeys. You just add water and 1 egg. We also add 1/2 cup more raisins and 1/2 cup more mar. cherries. No fuss, no muss, 4 minutes to make. 1 1/2 hr in 300 deg oven.

[glowstick]

Sounds terrific BB and I'll certainly let you know Lesley...thanks for the responses!

[ssadams]

my mom makes fruit cake every year and I have seen her do it. the amount of fruit she puts in would stall a bread machine, not to mention the rum and brandy would eat away at an aluminium bread basket. She cooks hers at 225 F for about 2 hours. Like said above, would love to hear of any success using a bread machine.

[tweakthis]

My bread machine makes a lovely banana bread, but I wouldn't attempt something like a Christmas cake. When I make the banana bread, it beeps and pauses to add extra ingredients, possibly like you might do with a Christmas cake, but I've never gotten further than the banana bread.

[Lesley]

Temperature aside, the mixing time would be very hard on most cakes. Bread requires lots of mixing to develop the gluten, that's what makes your bread dough stretchy. It's also the opposite of what most cakes, quick breads etc require. If you over mix cake batter you end up with a dry tough cake.

I've made traditional light fruit cake many times, although not for a few years, and like Scott said, the fruit would stall the bread machine. It's mostly fruit with just a bit of batter to hold it all together.

[Lesley]

I found another interesting recipe online, a Christmas pound cake. Not as easy as a bread machine "cake" but easier than a traditional fruit cake.

Christmas Pound Cake recipe

1 pound butter or margarine
1 pound granulated sugar
1 pound flour (4 cups all-purpose or 4 1/2 cups cake flour)
2 cups white raisins
1 pound pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 to 1 cup candied cherries
1/2 to 1 cup candied pineapple
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons lemon extract (2 ounce bottle)
6 eggs

Cream butter, sugar and lemon extract. Sift flour once, then measure. Sift twice more, adding baking powder and salt to last sift. Add eggs, one at a time, to creamed mixture, alternating with flour, beating well after each addition. This makes a very stiff batter so will probably have to be beaten by hand. Then add nuts, raisins and candied fruits which have been coated with a little of the flour. Bake in a large round tube pan which has been lined with brown paper and greased. Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours, or until done when tested.

[Lesley]

Chiquita Holiday Banana Fruitcake recipe

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt or less
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups large pecan halves or whole Brazil nutmeats, do not chop
1 pound whole dates (3 cups pitted)
1 (8 ounce) jar whole maraschino cherries, drained
3 cups sliced ripe bananas (3 to 4)
4 eggs
Glazed fruits for decoration

Sift flour with sugar, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Add nuts, dates and maraschino cherries and stir so that all nuts and fruits are covered with flour mixture.

In another bowl beat bananas until mashed. Add eggs and continue beating until well blended and mixture is light and fluffy. Fold into flour mixture. Pour into 9 x 5 x 2 3/4-inch loaf pan which has been lined with brown paper and greased well. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 3/4 to 2 hours or until cake springs back when center is touched lightly with finger. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes.

Remove cake from pan and pull off brown paper. Dust, if desired, with confectioners' sugar. Decorate top as desired. Let cake stand in cool place overnight before cutting.

Wrap in foil and store in refrigerator or cool place.

Makes 3 1/2 pound fruitcake.

[Lesley]

Here's the link, there are some really interesting recipes on here.

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/chrcake/chrcake.html

[glowstick]

Gee,thanks a lot Lesley....I love to gander at good recipes!

[glowstick]

Doing research on this, I found recipes that use alchol of some kind( vodka) so, I would assume that the rum wouldn't nesessarily eat away at the coating....still looking!
my mom makes fruit cake every year and I have seen her do it. the amount of fruit she puts in would stall a bread machine, not to mention the rum and brandy would eat away at an aluminium bread basket. She cooks hers at 225 F for about 2 hours. Like said above, would love to hear of any success using a bread machine.

[glowstick]

The link that I'm reading
http://fp.enter.net/~rburk/breads/breadmachine/breadmachine.htm (http://fp.enter.net/%7Erburk/breads/breadmachine/breadmachine.htm)

[glowstick]

EUREKA! From the link that I've posted I found a Cake Bread and I know that it can be combined with another bread machine recipe I've also found where you add mixed fruit and chopped nuts.

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/recipes/broden.htm