Many people love fruitcake and it has gotten a bad rap. Many people give this as gifts although I think it is something that isn’t given as often anymore. when I posted this recipe years ago not many people like it. This is the fruitcake that my grandmother would make, although she used to put rum in it. I changed it to brandy because I feel it elevates it some.
I will admit that I am not a huge fruitcake fan but my father loved it and so I made this for him after my grandmother stopped making them. Although there was the year that my cousin drank all of her rum and refilled her gallon jug with tea. It had mold on the top and she was so mad.
If you are nervous about fruitcake I would suggest maybe buying one and giving it a try first. I would highly recommend Claxton fruit cake as it was one of my father’s favorite store bought brands. They are rather small and perfect for those first timers.
Fruitcakes actually have a wonderful shelf life and believe it or not were often served at weddings before becoming the Christmas joke. In fact, the earliest recipe is from Ancient Rome and used to feed the soldiers.
Spiced Fruitcake
Print RecipeIngredients
- 8 ounces diced candied orange peel
- 8 ounces diced citron
- 8 ounces diced pineapple
- 8 ounces diced fruitcake mixed fruit
- 4 ounces whole red candied cherries
- 4 ounces whole green candied cherries
- 1 cup currants
- 1 cup golden or dark raisins
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup brandy or good bourbon
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground mace
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
- 5 eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup molasses
Instructions
- This batter is quite heavy, but a heavy-duty stand mixer can handle it.
- Mix the fruit in a large bowl with the orange juice and brandy. Stir gently and set aside to marinate for a few hours.
- Generously butter bottom and sides of two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans and line them with parchment paper. Butter the paper thoroughly. You can use brown paper for this if you don’t have parchment paper.
- Sift the flour with the spices twice. Add the baking powder and salt and sift again.
- Put the butter into a large mixing bowl and cream until smooth. Add sugar; using an electric mixer, cream until light and fluffy. Beat the egg yolks slightly and then add them to the bowl. Mix the batter well before you start to add the flour and spice mixture. Stir the batter as you add the flour, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the flour is thoroughly incorporated, add the molasses and stir. Finally, stir in the fruit, along with any soaking liquid left in the bowl.
- Put the egg whites in a stainless steel or glass bowl and beat with a clean beater to stiff peaks. Fold them into the batter thoroughly and then spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let the batter sit overnight in a cool place to mellow.
- On the next day, heat the oven to 250°. Place the fruitcake on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. After 1 1/2 hours, cover the pan with a piece of brown paper (do not use foil) or set the pan in a paper bag and return it to the oven.
- When the cake has baked for 3 1/2 hours, test the with a toothpick or cake tester. If the tester comes out of the center of the cake clean, the cake is done. Leave the cake in the pan and set on wire rack to cool.
- When the cakes are completely cooled, turn out of the pans, leaving the paper lining on the cake. Wrap the cake with parchment, then foil, and pack the cake in a tin. Homemade fruitcakes need air, so punch a few holes in the lid of the tin or set the cover loosely on the tin.
- Set the tin in a cool, undisturbed place, and every 3 or 4 days before Christmas, open the foil and drizzle a small amount of bourbon or brandy over the cake. The liquor will keep the cake most and flavorful and help preserve it as well.
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That just sounds gross, Rita. Not a fruitcake fan.
To tell you the truth…I have never eaten Fruit Cake. I have seen it in stores and it does look pretty. I always here of people hating it and regift it. It makes me giggle.
Poor fruitcake, it sure gets a bad rap. This version sounds better than most. I think it is the candied cherries, red and green that would turn me off, I wonder if they were substituted with some more natural dried version if it would make it better. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve never been able to make a fruit cake and it turn out right, I will have to try this one, thanks for sharing.
This sounds great. I’ve never made a fruit cake, but I love dried fruits. My aunt used to make it and drizzle the brandy on it over time and give us some to take home, but when I was little I didn’t like it. I wish I could have a piece of that cake now, but I will just have to make my own! This is the one to make!
I had no idea they used to be served at weddings.
I had no idea that the first fruitcake recipe was used in Ancient Rome to feed soldiers that is so interesting. I am not a fan of fruitcake but thanks for sharing this recipe.
I am not a fruit cake fan. My Mom makes them every year but put less stuff in it, but I still don’t like it.
Which molasses is best (mild, full, blackstrap)?
I’ve never liked a fruitcake, but to be fair, I’ve never had one truly homemade!
I couldn’t even afford to buy all those spices and ingredients to make this fruit cake. My mom made them when we were children.
I love fruitcake!