Here’s a classic fruitcake recipe — rich, moist, and packed with dried fruits and nuts. You can make it weeks ahead and “feed” it with rum or brandy for that deep, traditional flavor. 🎂🍒
🍇 Ingredients
For the fruit mixture:
- 2 cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, chopped dates, cranberries, or apricots)
- 1 cup chopped candied cherries or peel
- ½ cup dark rum, brandy, or orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
For the cake batter:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp allspice (optional)
- 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
- 2 tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup (optional, for color and flavor)
🥣 Instructions
- Soak the fruit (1 day ahead if possible):
Combine dried fruits, cherries, zest, and rum (or juice). Cover and let soak overnight, stirring occasionally. - Prepare the pan:
Grease a loaf pan or 8-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper. - Preheat oven:
300°F (150°C). Low and slow baking prevents dryness. - Make the batter:
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time.
- Mix in molasses if using.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet until combined.
- Fold in soaked fruits (with liquid) and nuts.
- Bake:
Spoon batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
Bake for 1½ to 2 hours, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
(Check after 1 hour—cover with foil if browning too quickly.) - Cool and (optional) age:
- Cool completely in the pan.
- Brush the top with extra rum or brandy.
- Wrap tightly in parchment and foil, store in an airtight container.
- For traditional aged fruitcake, brush with a bit of liquor every week for 2–4 weeks before serving.
🍷 To serve
Slice thinly—it’s rich! Great with coffee, tea, or cheese.
Would you like me to give you a no-alcohol version or a quick version (no aging) too?
