Christmas Cake

[cougars_catnip]

Christmas Cake ~ Forget everything you think you know about fruitcake, this is what fruitcake should be. This has none of that nasty commerical candied fake dyed "citron and peels" Instead you use real dried fruits and nuts, fresh spices and a moist cake.  It smells fantastic and tastes even better.  This will make even fruitcake haters ask for seconds. :)

1 cup golden raisins
1 cup currants
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 c. dried apples, chopped
1/2 c. dried pears, chopped
1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
1/4 cup dried pineapple
Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
1 cup gold rum
1 cup brown sugar
5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
1/4 tsp cloves,
1/2 tsp allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted spiced pecans or walnuts, broken
Brandy for basting and/or spritzing

Directions

Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.

Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.

Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.

When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will improve considerably over the next two weeks.

This recipe was given to me by my daughter, but it has been pointed out that it is similar to if not identical to Alton Brown's recipe. It may well have originally been his. Honestly, I don't know. All I do know is that this is good. So happy cooking. 

Comments

[weaverbird]

Oh man, this is very like the (real) fruitcake I remember from my long-ago childhood. Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Think I'm gonna have to make one of these.

[cougars_catnip]

Welcome. :) Enjoy.

CC

[sid]

This does sound wonderful, and fun to make, too!

[drgaellon]

Apart from adding a bit of dried pineapple, this is a word-for-word copy of Alton Brown's Free Range Fruitcake recipe from Good Eats. You should attribute your recipes to their source...

[cougars_catnip]

this recipe was given to me by my daughter and has been modified both by her and myself. And no it isn't word for word. Now I am not saying that it might not have originally been Alton's recipe, but as far as I knew this was something that has been passed from person to person until it got to me and I fiddled with it too. So if I should attribute my source.... My source was my daughter Kim who shared this recipe with me two Christmas's ago when I was staying in Texas while my husband was in the Middle East. She got it from a friend of hers who got it Lord knows where.

[rowan_tree]

I've saved it to memories, I want to make this!