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Traditional Holiday Fruitcake

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A dense, spice-infused fruitcake packed with candied fruits and nuts, aged with brandy for a rich, festive flavor.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup brandy or dark rum, plus more for brushing
  • 2 cups mixed candied fruit (cherries, pineapple, orange peel)
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 cup chopped dates

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan or a 10-inch tube pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
  6. Stir in the brandy or rum.
  7. Gently fold in the candied fruit, raisins, nuts, and dates until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
  9. Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours for a loaf pan, or 2.5 to 3 hours for a tube pan, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
  10. Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. While the cake is still warm, pierce it all over with a skewer. Brush generously with additional brandy or rum.
  12. Once completely cool, wrap the cake tightly in cheesecloth or parchment paper, then in aluminum foil. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
  13. For best flavor, age the fruitcake for at least 2 weeks, brushing it with brandy or rum every few days.

Notes

  • You can substitute other dried fruits like cranberries or apricots for some of the mixed candied fruit.
  • For a non-alcoholic version, you can soak the fruit in orange juice or a simple syrup.
  • This fruitcake is excellent when served with a cup of tea or coffee.
  • Consider this recipe as a base for your own unique holiday creation.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/fruitcake-recipe-holiday-confection/