Christmas Fruitcake
Easy Holiday Fruitcake loaded with glazed fruit and nuts. A dense yet moist cake laced with liquor, it's a great holiday treat perfect for dessert or gift-giving.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 16 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1/4 cup margarine, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup light syrup
- 2 eggs (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/4 cup orange concentrate
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1 1/8 cup flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 3 teaspoons glazed cherries
- 2 cups glazed fruits
- 1 cup raisins or sultanas
- 1/2 cup pitted dates
- 1 cup toasted almonds or cashews
- 1 cup pili nuts
- 1/2 cup brandy
Instructions
- 1
In a non-reactive bowl, combine dried fruits, nuts, and the 1/2 cup brandy. Soak overnight.
- 2
Preheat oven to 300 F to 325 F.
- 3
Lightly grease sides and bottom of three 6 x 3 x 2 loaf pans with shortening and line with parchment paper or brown baking paper. Set aside.
- 4
In another bowl, combine margarine, sugar, syrup, eggs, orange concentrate, molasses, and 2 tablespoons brandy. With an electric mixer, beat until well blended.
- 5
Add flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Beat until well-blended.
- 6
Add 1/2 the fruit and nut mixture and stir to combine.
- 7
Pour batter into prepared loaf pans until they are 2/3 full. Spoon the remaining half of the fruit and nut mixture over the batter. Decorate with glazed cherries.
- 8
Place the pans in the preheated oven. Place a separate pan of water in the oven on a rack underneath the fruitcake.
- 9
Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 10
Remove from oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
- 11
Carefully lift the fruitcakes from baking pans and let cool completely.
- 12
Brush all sides with brandy or rum.
- 13
Wrap with muslin or cheesecloth and store at room temperature in a styrofoam box or tin can.
- 14
Brush fruitcake with brandy every week for four weeks, then every two weeks.