A liquor-soaked dark cake was never part of our family holiday tradition.
My mom grandmother, Isabel, used to make a light, nutty fruitcake, which my mom always said was too dry when she made it. The recipe was passed down as "a handful of this and a handful of that." To make the cake, you had to have the right-sized hands.
This recipe has very similar, measured ingredients, with the addition of dried apricots, which my dad liked.
Start this recipe the night before you plan to bake the cake.
- 1-1/2 cups golden raisins
- 2 cups chopped glace cherries
- 1-1/2 cups chopped dried apricots (or other dried fruit)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans OR 1/2 c. shredded coconut
- 2/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice without pulp, divided OR 1/3 cup orange juice AND 1/3 cup Grand Marnier, or Amaretto Liqueur, or light rum
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2-1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 2 loaf pans
- parchment paper
- In a bowl, mix together the dried fruit (total 5 cups, e.g. chopped dried apricots, raisins, glace cherries) and nuts (total 1-1/2 cups, chopped) with 1/3 cup orange juice OR 1/3 cup Grand Marnier OR 1/3 cup Amaretto Liqueur OR 1/3 cup light rum. Liqueur will make the cake sweeter. My sister says use the orange juice in the cake, drink the rum, and go to bed. But remember to first cover the fruit/nut mixture and put it in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, remove the bowl of fruit/nut mixture from the fridge.
- Prepare two 8 x 4" loaf pans. Grease them, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Grease and flour the parchment paper.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Stir.
- Using your mixer's large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the 4 eggs to the butter mixture one at a time.
- Measure 1/3 cup orange juice into a cup. Add 2/3 cup of the flour mixture to the butter/egg mixture. Mix. Pour in a bit of the orange juice. Mix. Add another 2/3 c. of the flour mixture. Mix. Add the rest of the flour and orange juice. Mix.
- Using a large wooden spoon, fold the fruit/nut mixture into the cake batter. Put the batter in the prepared pans with a rubber spatula and smooth the top of the batter.
- Bake at 300 degrees 2 to 2-1/4 hrs. Take the pans from the oven and place on wire racks to cool for 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and place on the racks to cool completely. Then peel off the parchment paper and wrap your cooled cakes well if you're not going to have a slice right away.
This nutty fruit cake is for eating, not for keeping a long time.
Mini Brandy Fruitcakes
Makes 12 small fruitcakes.
Individual paper 4 x 2 x 2 inch loaf pans can be bought at kitchen supply stores or on Amazon.
Make 5 days ahead of giving as gifts or serving so the flavours meld.
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) molasses
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) honey
- 1 1/3 cups (325 mL) golden raisins
- 1 1/3 cups (325 mL) dark raisins
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) dried currants
- 1 cup (250 mL) dried cherries
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) dried cranberries
- 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) dried apricots, chopped
- 1 cup (250 mL) walnut halves, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (250 mL) pecan halves, roughly chopped
- 2 1/4 cups (550 mL) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda
- 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (2mL) nutmet
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) allspice
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) mace
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 3/4 cup (175mL) brandy
- 1 cup (250mL)seedless raspberry jam
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) water
1. Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C). Butter and flour twelve 4 x 2-inch (10 x 5-cm) miniature loaf pans and place on a baking sheet.
2. Heat applesauce in a medium pot over medium heat until boiling. Add butter and stir until melted. Add sugar, molasses and honey and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Pour mixture into a large bowl and let cool. Add raisins, currants, cherries, cranberries, apricots, walnuts and pecans. Stir to combine.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, mace and salt into a large bowl. Fold dry ingredients into applesauce mixture until combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared loaf pans. With the back of a wet tablespoon, press batter into pans and smooth the tops.
4. Place baking sheet in middle of oven and bake fruitcakes 55 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack and let cool.
2. Heat applesauce in a medium pot over medium heat until boiling. Add butter and stir until melted. Add sugar, molasses and honey and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Pour mixture into a large bowl and let cool. Add raisins, currants, cherries, cranberries, apricots, walnuts and pecans. Stir to combine.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, mace and salt into a large bowl. Fold dry ingredients into applesauce mixture until combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared loaf pans. With the back of a wet tablespoon, press batter into pans and smooth the tops.
4. Place baking sheet in middle of oven and bake fruitcakes 55 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack and let cool.
5. With a pastry brush, coat fruitcakes liberally with brandy. Wrap fruitcakes in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil, so they remain moist, and let rest at room temperature for 5 to 8 days.
6. Put raspberry jam and water in a small pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Pass mixture through a strainer. Unwrap cakes and brush the hot glaze on top.
