How To Make a Fruitcake

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Forget the candied lemon peel and glace cherries. Make a fruitcake even fruitcake haters will love.

To complete this How-To you will need:

1 c. golden raisins
1 c. currants
2 c. mixture of your favorite dried fruits, chopped
1/4 c. candied ginger, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon, chopped
Zest of 1 orange, chopped
1 c. bourbon or rum
1 c. unfiltered apple juice
2 c. sugar
1 1/4 sticks butter
4 whole cloves, ground
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
1 c. brandy
1/2 c. water
Extra dried fruits and nuts for garnish
A nonreactive pot
A large bowl
A sifter
A wooden spoon
A 10-inch nonstick loaf pan
A pastry brush
Parchment paper
Aluminum foil or plastic wrap
Orange, cranberry or apple juice

Step 1: Plan ahead

Fruitcake should be made at least two weeks ahead to give the fruit and brandy time to age, so be sure to leave yourself enough time.

Step 2: Soak the fruit

Combine the raisins, currants, mixed dried fruit, ginger, and citrus zest in the nonreactive pot. Then pour the bourbon or rum over the fruit and let it soak overnight.

Tip: For non-alcoholic fruitcake, use orange, cranberry or apple juice instead of bourbon or rum.

Step 3: Heat fruit mixture

To the soaked fruit, add the apple juice, sugar, butter, cloves, cinnamon, and ground ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Then the reduce heat and let it simmer. After 10 minutes, remove from heat.

Tip: A nonreactive pot is one made of stainless steel, anodized aluminum, or enameled aluminum—not aluminum on its own.

Step 4: Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Step 5: Prepare the batter

In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

Step 6: Combine fruit and flour mixtures

When the fruit mixture has cooled for 15 minutes, sift the flour mixture into it. Then combine using the wooden spoon.

Step 7: Add eggs and nuts

Mix in the eggs one at a time, and then fold in the chopped nuts.

Step 8: Bake

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Step 9: Liquor it up!

Using the brush, baste the top with some of the brandy or fruit juice. Let the loaf cool completely before removing it from the pan.

Step 10: Wrap it up

Wrap the cake in parchment paper, then in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and store in a cool, dark place. Check the cake every few days and, if dry, brush it with enough brandy or juice to moisten—not soak—it. Then rewrap tightly.

Tip: If you're planning to freeze the fruitcake, age it first.

Step 11: Glaze and garnish

Just before serving, heat the remaining sugar with water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Brush this glaze over your fruitcake and garnish with dried fruits and nuts.

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• baking
• cakes
• christmas
• cooking
• desserts
• dinner
• food
• FoodDrink
• holiday
• how
• howcast
• making
• seasonal
• to

[gedebage]

That is not a fruit cake, thats an adventure

[zombieslayer411]

CHOPPED CHOPPED CHOPPED CHOPPED

[Buffalobigboy69]

@SheikaAwa I agree with you. You need candied lemon/orange peels and candied cherries. And let's not forget the candied pineapple! I don't care what people say, i LOVE A GOOD FRUITCAKE! Anyone else notice that big crack in the finished cake? That's a No No. The cake needed to bake at 300 for 2 1/2 to 3 hours with a pan of hot water under it to add moisture to the oven. At least they told viewers to let the cake ripen for a few weeks before eating.

[justwatchvideos1637]

So many things! But do I need hands?

[GRUMPYDRINKER]

gotta have my brandy

[federalwarhawk]

Any fruit cakes,ever had growing up ,were those cheap store bought ones,the fruit had this rubbery texture , tasted like gummy bears,the cake was dry and had a strange

medicine taste to it, So I assumed all fruit cake tasted like crap. I always wanted to buy , one of the expensive type, that actually looked like it tasted good, but never got around to it.

[epicrandomnessXD]

how do you chop zest?

[SheikaAwa]

But I love the candied lemon/orange peels and candied cherries in it!!! I just don't understand why people hate Friut Cake so much, it's so yummy lol! I like this recipe though and I'm still going to also add my candied lemon/orange peels and candied cherries to it:)

[MacGuru15]

I would make this, but it's a week until Christmas.. Whole Foods Market make a delicious fruitcake anyways!

[Overfall1]

Fruitcake haters gonna hate.

[ineedtoknowhow]

looks really good