Make a Fruit Cake

Fruitcakes and variations of these have been being baked for hundreds of years. Traditionally made months in advance of a celebration, such as Christmas or a wedding, these cakes with fruit soaked in alcohol, are old fashioned. Fruitcake is best made with plenty of planning. Have no fear if you want a fruitcake in the near future. A quick fruitcake recipe will have you eating homemade fruitcake in no time.

Ingredients

For a Traditional Fruitcake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons brandy, plus extra for brushing the cake
  • one orange, juiced and zested
  • one lemon, just the zest
  • 3/4 cup ground almonds or almond meal
  • 1 cup chopped mixed nuts (such as hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
  • 1 1/2 pounds chopped candied fruits (dried apricots, candied cherries, candied zest, figs, prunes, dates)
  • 3/4 pound mixed dried fruit (such as raisins, sultanas, currants, dried cranberries)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For a Quick Fruitcake

  • 1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained (1 small can)
  • 1 cup mixed dried fruits (such as raisins, pineapple, apricots, dates, or cranberries)
  • 1/2 cup diced walnuts or pecans
  • 1/2 cup red candied cherries, each cut in half
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse white sparkling sugar, for topping

Steps

Making the Traditional Fruitcake

  1. Turn on the oven and prepare your pan. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8-inch springform pan. Cut parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan and place it on top of the buttered bottom. Take another long strip of parchment paper and wrap it along the buttered sides of the pan.
    • Leave a few inches of parchment paper sticking up and out from the sides of the pan. This will make it easier to remove the fruitcake after it has baked.
  2. Place the butter, light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar in a bowl. If you have a stand mixer, place them in the bowl with a beater attachment. If not, get a hand mixer out. Beat the ingredients until the mixture is light and fluffy.
    • Make sure your butter is not completely cold and hard or this will make beating difficult.
  3. Add the eggs. Add one of the eggs and beat the mixture until the egg is incorporated. Add the other egg and beat the mixture again. Add the final egg and stir until combined.
  4. Add the brandy, orange juice and zest, and lemon zest. Stir the mixture until these ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  5. Fold in the ground almonds, mixed nuts, and fruits (candied and dried). Take a spatula and using your wrist, gently make circles, folding these ingredients into the batter.
    • Do not simply stir or beat the batter or you'll lose all the volume you've created by beating the butter.
  6. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Whisk these ingredients for 20 seconds to completely combine the leavening agent.
  7. Fold the dry ingredients into your wet batter. Add the dry flour mixture into your wet batter. Take a spatula and using your wrist, gently make circles, folding these ingredients into the batter.
  8. Spread the batter in your pan. Pour the batter into your prepared springform pan. Take a knife and smooth over the top. Set the springform pan on top of a larger baking sheet.
  9. Bake your fruitcake. Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
  10. Reduce the oven temperature and continue baking. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees F. Then bake your fruitcake for another 90 minutes.
  11. Test the fruitcake and remove from the oven. Stick a cake tester or toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, turn off the oven and remove your fruitcake from the oven.
    • If it's not done, return the fruitcake to the oven and check every 5 minutes till it's done.
  12. Let the fruitcake cool completely while it's still in the springform pan. Poke several holes over the top of the cake and brush a little brandy over the top.
  13. Remove the fruitcake and wrap. Once the cake is completely cool, release the springform side of the pan and remove the bottom of the cake tin. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom and sides, then wrap the fruitcake completely in plastic wrap. Cover the wrapped fruitcake completely with aluminum foil. Set the fruitcake in a seal-able storage bag or cake tin.
  14. Brush the fruitcake with brandy. Brush the fruitcake with a little brandy once or twice a week. Take care to re-wrap the fruitcake well. Do this for several weeks, or until you're ready to serve the fruitcake.

Making the Quick Fruitcake

  1. Turn on the oven and prepare your pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
  2. Place the butter, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. If you have a stand mixer, place them in the bowl with a beater attachment. If not, get a hand mixer out. Beat the ingredients until the mixture is smooth.
    • Make sure your butter is not completely cold and hard or this will make beating difficult.
  3. Add the eggs. Add one of the eggs and beat the mixture until the egg is incorporated. Add the other egg and beat the mixture again.
  4. Add the flour. Add the flour to your mixture and carefully stir until the flour is completely mixed in.
  5. Stir in the pineapple. Dump in the can of pineapple with its juice. Stir till the liquid is combined.
  6. Mix in the dried fruit, nuts, and candied cherries. Stir these ingredients in until they're just combined. Avoid over-stirring the mixture, since this can make your cake tough.
  7. Spread the batter in your pan. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Take a knife and smooth over the top. Sprinkle the coarse white sugar evenly over the loaf.
  8. Bake your fruitcake. Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
  9. Cover the fruitcake with foil and finish baking. After an hour, take a sheet of foil and set it over the top of the fruitcake. Bake for another 15 minutes.
    • The foil will keep the fruitcake from burning while it finishes cooking.
  10. Test the fruitcake and remove from the oven. Stick a cake tester or toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, turn off the oven and remove your fruitcake from the oven.
    • If it's not done, return the fruitcake to the oven and check every 5 minutes till it's done.
  11. Turn the fruitcake onto a rack. Once you've taken the fruitcake out of the oven, let it rest in the loaf pan for 20 minutes. Then, run a knife around the sides of the pan and flip the fruitcake onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
    • Letting it rest 20 minutes helps all the nuts, fruit, and cherries set up.
  12. Let the fruitcake cool completely. Wait till the fruitcake is completely cool before slicing it. If you try to slice a warm fruitcake, the pieces will tear and fruit or nuts may come out in clumps.



Tips

  • You can use self raising flour instead of normal flour and baking powder.
  • Soaking the fruits in brandy can add an interesting flavor and more moist fruitcake.

Things You'll Need

  • Mixing bowl
  • Oven
  • Oven mitts (a folded tea towel will do.)
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wooden spoon/spatula.
  • Springform pan
  • Loaf pan
  • Cake tester
  • Wire rack
  • Timer

Sources and Citations

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