Sunday Dinner: Quick Fruitcake

It’s fruitcake time!

Over the years, fruitcakes have been unfairly the subjects of jokes, probably because the comedians have not eaten this one by Frances Edwards. Fruitcakes are a Christmas holiday tradition that I hope will never go away — a good fruitcake, that is.

This recipe is from her deceased mother, and every year Frances (at her home in Simpsonville, and for many years before that) bakes it during the Christmas season. The cake is a favorite with her family and friends, and she frequently carries it to holiday gatherings. Some fruitcake bakers serve theirs with ambrosia or other things during the holidays, but Frances serves only the cake.

Frances Edwards

Frances Edwards

She and her husband, Perdue Edwards, are both retired. Frances, a former member of East Park Baptist Church in Greenville, attended Greenville High School and Furman University, then for many years was a high school guidance counselor in Melbourne, Fla.

When she and her husband retired several years ago, they lived briefly in three places before returning to Simpsonville, where she grew up and has family. Frances and Perdue are members of First Baptist Church in Simpsonville, where Rev. Wayne Bray is pastor, and are both in the Caring Class (Sunday school), where Frances is the oldest active member. She is also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a professional group.

Frances and her husband live quiet lives now because of his health, but formerly she enjoyed playing tennis and they traveled extensively. She enjoys reading. She also enjoys baking this fruitcake, and frequently carries one to church suppers.

She bakes this in either a Teflon-coated loaf pan or an oil-coated pan, and sometimes uses pecans or a pecan-walnut mix instead of all walnuts.

We thank Frances for sharing this recipe with us. If you haven’t made a fruitcake in a while, try this one. It is easy to make, and you will like it when you serve it for … Sunday Dinner.

Quick Fruitcake

1 9-ounce package mincemeat
1 cup nuts (English walnuts)
1 15-ounce can Eagle Brand milk
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup water
6 ounces candied fruit
1 egg
¾ cup flour

Grease bottom and sides of loaf pan. Set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mincemeat according to instructions on package; add nuts, fruit, milk, egg, and blend. Stir in flour. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1½ hours.

Have a recipe? sundaydinner@baptistcourier.com