Fourteen years ago, Sharron Smith, a member of Erindale Presbyterian church, had a brilliant idea for a fundraising project.
The idea started with Sharron’s baking expertise. She was in the habit of donating a number of her delectable fruit cakes to the church’s November crafts sale. They became so popular people would attend the sale specifically to buy a fruit cake.
Sharron was on the Erindale’s outreach committee. “I said my fruit cakes are a big hit, and I suggested a group of interested people could start baking, in September, so there would be a stock to fill the demand at the November crafts sales.”
Several volunteer bakers came forward and after they sold out their first batch, they never looked back. Thanks to Sharron, a nurse by profession, and therefore used to being exact, the cake bakers at Erindale soon had their production down to a “fine science.”
First of all Sharron tripled the original recipe. Then they organized three workstations in the church kitchen where there are two ovens. A team at one station beats eggs, mixes the molasses and juice and sprays foil mini-pans with Pam. At another station a team combines dry ingredients and dredges fruit with flour, while the third team creams butter and sugar, adds eggs and combines all the ingredients. Volunteers take turns mixing the batter and fruit as it is tiring work, according to Sharron.
Once the cakes are cool, they are wrapped, labelled with the ingredients and decorated with gay Christmas ribbons. Each year the team makes about 250 mini-cakes and sell them for $7 each or three for $20. Annually, this initiative results in $2000 to $3,000 for Erindale, a historical Ontario church built in 1877.
Sharron’s twin sister, in Ottawa, adopted this fundraiser and she has organized a group that bakes up a storm for the local Stephen Lewis Foundation (Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign). So far, this year, Ottawa has orders for 456 cakes.
Sharron was brought up in the United Church but joined the Presbyterianism after she married Dr. Ted Smith, in 1967. Sharron spotted her fruit cake recipe in the 1972 Laura Secord Cook Book. Sharron’s three children and eight grandchildren all love the cake and so does everyone else. Sharron bakes her cakes, for the Smith clan, around Halloween, so they will be mellow and rich by Christmas. Sharron is pleased her son, Brian, has decided to apprentice himself, to his mother, in order to learn the finer points of baking Christmas cakes and to carry on this Smith family tradition.
Four years ago Sharron and Ted moved to Alliston, but Sharron still travels to Erindale to participate in the cake project. “Fruit cake is my connection to the church. It’s a good product and I enjoy the camaraderie on the kitchen,” Sharron says. “We are there all day. We talk about everything. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share our lives.”
Sharron comments the secret ingredient in her great fruit cake is the brandy. But, one suspects, it’s really the love, sharing and friendship involved in the making.
(See Marice’s Church Salad for the history of the Smith Family at Morningside Presbyterian Church.)
GALA CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE
Night before: put in a large bowl:
4 oz slivered almonds
16 oz candied cherries or fruit mix
8 oz candied peel
16 oz dark raisins
8 oz currants
8 oz chopped dates
4 oz brandy
Cover with plastic and allow to stand overnight.
Next day: Pre-heat oven to 275F degrees. The original recipe calls for an 8x8x5 cake pan. Line pan and spray with Pam. Bake for 3 hours. If using foil mini-pans, spray with Pam. Bake for 80 minutes.
Dredge fruit with four oz of flour and set aside.
Combine in another bowl:
16 oz flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice.
½ tsp salt
In another large bowl: cream 8 oz butter. Gradually blend in 16 oz brown sugar and 6 eggs.
In a measuring cup: mix 6 oz molasses and 6 oz apple juice.
Add dry ingredients alternating with the liquid combining, lightly, after each addition (Make 4 dry and 3 liquid additions.) Fold in floured fruit.
Turn into prepared pans. Bake until firm and lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Wrap loosely in waxed paper. Store in air-tight containers.
