Tales of a Fruitcake

You might decide to give fruitcake another chance after reading this recipe with tips for that little something special

Ready for the oven! Secret ingredient pictured.

Most who decry the existence of fruit cake have never had mine. It is dark and full of nuts and fruit soaked for eleven months or more. I seldom use the same recipe, but a couple of things are constant. Soaked fruit, triple nuts or more, and lots of post-baking, rum soaking, and of course, a good amount of hot tea to help enhance the flavor when served. I never give my fruitcake to anyone without questioning them. It only goes to those who profess love and admiration. 


Recipe
PREP
30 mins
BAKE
1 hr to 2 hrs 15 mins
TOTAL
2 hrs 30 mins
YIELD
36 small cakes; 2 large loaves; or anything in between
Ingredients
Fruit
  • 1 1/2 cups (213g) dried soaked fruit, cherries, figs, pears. Whatever you can find at any store. 
  • 1 1/2 cups (255g) raisins, golden or regular
  • 1 cup (128g) dried apricots, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups (223g) dates, chopped
  • heaping 1 cup (170g) candied red cherries or any other candied fruit.  Most of the time it is chopped and a variety. 
  • 1/3 cup (64g) crystallized ginger, diced, absolutely necessary
  • 3/4 cup (170g) rum, brandy, apple juice, or cranberry juice
Batter
  • 16 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, at least 65°F
  • 2 cups (425g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 3 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 cups (360g) flour, sometimes I add half wheat flower
  • 2 tablespoons (11g) black cocoa, for color
  • 2 tablespoon espresso powder
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  •  1 cup rum/brandy or cider if you prefer
  • 4+ cups (227g) toasted nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts or hazelnuts, or macadamian nuts
Topping/glaze (optional)
  • rum, brandy, simple syrup, vanilla syrup, or ginger syrup
  1. To prepare the fruit: Combine the fruit with the liquid of your choice in a non-reactive bowl; cover and let rest overnight. Too impatient to wait until tomorrow? Microwave everything for 1 minute (or until it's very hot), cover, and let rest 1 hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 300°F. This recipe makes enough batter for ONE (not all!) of the following: 3 dozen individual (muffin pan) cakes; 16 mini loaves (about 3 3/4" x 2 1/2"); 6 to 8 medium loaves (about 3" x 5"); or 2 standard 9" x 5" loaves. Choose your pans (or combinations), and lightly grease them. If you're making muffin-size cakes in a standard muffin pan, line the pan with muffin papers, and lightly grease the papers.
  3. To make the batter: Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl (at least 6-quart), and beat together until well combined.
  4. Beat in the salt, spices, and baking powder.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
  6. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and cocoa.
  7. Add the flour mixture and the syrup (or boiled cider) to the mixture in the bowl, beating gently to combine.
  8. Stir in the juice or water, then the fruit (including any additional liquid that has collected in the bowl), and the nuts. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and stir until everything is well combined.
  9. Spoon the batter into the pans, filling them about 3/4 full.
  10. Bake the cakes on the middle shelf of the oven, as follows: about 60 minutes for the individual cakes; 65 to 70 minutes for the small loaves; 75 minutes for the medium loaves, and 2 hours + 10 to 15 minutes for the 9" x 5" loaves. The cakes are done when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  11. Remove the cakes from the oven. Fruitcake can remain in its pan for storage, if desired. Or carefully remove the cake from the pan after about 5 minutes, loosening its edges first.
  12. Brush the warm cake with rum, brandy, simple syrup, or flavored simple syrup (vanilla, rum-flavored, etc.). If you like just a hint of rum or brandy flavor, add 1 tablespoon of liquor to 3/4 cup vanilla syrup or simple syrup, and brush this mixture on the cakes. (This keeps them moist for weeks; you can skip this step, but they won't stay moist long-term.)
  13. When the cakes are completely cool, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and store at room temperature for up to 6 to 8 weeks.












Sally Lanham - Legacy Ridge resident, teacher, lawyer, quilter, blogger, and sometimes baker. Fascinated by history, Sally often picks up old cookbooks in search of recipes with lost goodies. Tastes change and recipes do the same. Fruitcake has become an annual event because someday she will find the perfect balance between tart cherries and candied citron. Every year is clearly an adventure. Sally has enjoyed watching the Legacy Ridge neighborhood grow over the last seven years and looks forward to more years on the hill fighting for kitchen space with her husband John Carden. He is an amazing chef! 

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