Old-Fashioned Fruitcake
- 1 pound butter
- 1 pound sugar
- 1 dozen eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 pounds flour
- 1 t. nutmeg
- 1 t. cloves
- 1-2 t. cinnamon (we use 2)
- 1 t. allspice
- ~12-oz. raisins
- 1 pound candied cherries (we like a mix of green and red)*
- 1 1/2 pounds mixed candied fruit (pineapple, citron, lemon, and orange peel)*
- 1 "package" currants, optional (~6 ounces?)
- 1 "package" dried figs (~6 ounces?) or small jar fig preserves
- ~6-7 ounces dates, preferably chopped
- 1 pound nuts (we like pecans), preferably chopped
- cheesecloth
- bourbon
*you will need 2 1/2 pounds, total, of candied fruit. The more you can find already chopped, the better. Mixed fruit containers are fine, but you will want at least one small container of whole cherries if you want to use some to decorate the top.
Directions:
- Prepare pans: line with parchment paper and spray thoroughly. We use aluminum loaf pans in various sizes. Preheat oven to 200-250 degrees (aim for the middle if you don't know your oven well).
- Sift flour and spices together. Set aside.
- Chop all fruit and nuts that aren't already chopped. You can combine them all in the same (large) bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together.
- Beat eggs and gradually add to butter/sugar mixture, beating thoroughly as you go.
- Gradually add in flour/spices mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition.
- Add in preserves, if using.
- Pour batter over fruit/nut mixture. Stir well with a giant, wooden spoon, or go ahead and use your hands! (This is what we do.)
- Scoop batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for around 3 hours in a "very low oven." Check after 2 1/2. You're looking for a clean toothpick, but also that the top looks done.
- Remove cakes from pans and let cool. When completely cooled, pour some bourbon over (you can poke a few holes in the top of the cakes with a toothpick for even more bourbon flavor).
- Wrap cakes in cheesecloth. Place each cheesecloth-covered cake in a tin with a lid and let "cure" for a few weeks. It will taste best after a few weeks of this "curing" stage.
- Fruitcakes may be frozen before the bourbon/cheesecloth stage.
~Makes 3 standard loaf-pans.
Directions with some photos:
- Prepare pans: line with parchment paper and spray thoroughly. We use aluminum loaf pans in various sizes. Preheat oven to 200-250 degrees (aim for the middle if you don't know your oven well).
- Sift flour and spices together. Set aside.
- Chop all fruit and nuts that aren't already chopped. You can combine them all in the same (large) bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together.
- Beat eggs and gradually add to butter/sugar mixture, beating thoroughly as you go.
- Gradually add in flour/spices mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition.
- Add in preserves, if using.
- Pour batter over fruit/nut mixture. Stir well with a giant, wooden spoon, or go ahead and use your hands! (This is what we do.)
- Scoop batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for around 3 hours in a "very low oven." Check after 2 1/2. You're looking for a clean toothpick, but also that the top looks done.
- Remove cakes from pans and let cool. When completely cooled, pour some bourbon over (you can poke a few holes in the top of the cakes with a toothpick for even more bourbon flavor).
- Wrap cakes in cheesecloth. Place each cheesecloth-covered cake in a tin with a lid and let "cure" for a few weeks. It will taste best after a few weeks of this "curing" stage.
- Fruitcakes may be frozen before the bourbon/cheesecloth stage.
~Makes 3 standard loaf-pans. If you did it right, your kitchen will look something like this ;-) :
And, just for fun, a little peek into the recipe box archives:
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