Recipe of the week – Best Christmas Fruitcake
This fruitcake is a deliciously moist cake full of rum-soaked dried fruit and nuts. There’s no glowing, candied fruit in this recipe, and it’s more cake-like than traditional fruitcake recipes. It’s easy to make and sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
Prep Time: 35 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Additional Time: 1 day 10 mins
Total Time: 1 day 1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 8
Yield: 1 (6-inch) fruitcake
Christmas fruitcake is a classic holiday treat — but this crowd-pleasing recipe will impress everyone at your table! Soaked in rum and aged for weeks, this Christmas fruitcake recipe is full of festive flavor.
What Is Fruitcake?
Fruitcake is made with candied or dried fruits, nuts, and spices. The fruit and the cake itself are traditionally soaked in liquor. The sweet treat is usually served (and also gifted) during the holidays. Since it’s doused in liquor, Christmas fruitcake lasts for months.
How to Make Christmas Fruitcake
Though making fruitcake isn’t hard, it is a bit of a process. You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this old-fashioned Christmas fruitcake.
- Make the batter: Soak the fruit in rum for at least one day. Beat the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in batches, alternating with a milk and molasses mixture. Stir in the nuts and soaked fruit.
- Bake the cake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Soak the cake: Drizzle rum over the still-warm cake. Brush the cake with rum. Moisten a cheesecloth with rum, then wrap it around the cake with parchment paper.
- Age the cake: Transfer the wrapped Christmas fruitcake to an airtight container. For best results, age for at least 10 weeks.
How to Store Christmas Fruitcake
Store the fruitcake in the airtight container at room temperature, preferably in a dark place, for at least 10 weeks. If you plan to age the fruitcake for longer, you’ll need to brush the cake again.
Can You Freeze Fruitcake?
Yes, you can freeze Christmas fruitcake. Wrap the cake tightly in one layer of storage wrap, then one layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to one year. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
“Although a bit of work, this recipe is well worth it,” according to banjognome. “It made a very tasty fruitcake that had many requests for the recipe. The only thing I did differently was, about halfway through the baking time, I gently decorated the top with whole pecans, and [candied] cherries.”
“Delicious,” says Allrecipes Allstar Christina. “My first attempt at making fruitcake and it was a hit w/ everyone. I used a mix of raisins, figs, candied cherries, cranberries, and dried pineapple. Mine only got to sit for about 1 week, but it was still yummy!”
“Absolutely fantastic,” raves Wulfae. “I made about twenty of these last year to give out as gifts, and they were really well received. I had my sister text me recently saying she just found it in the freezer and it was delicious. My grandma wants me to make three for her next Christmas.”
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
Ingredients
Soaked Fruit:
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup dried currants
- ⅛ cup chopped dried cherries
- ⅛ cup chopped dried mango
- ⅛ cup chopped candied citron
- ¼ cup dark rum
Fruitcake:
- cooking spray
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 6 tablespoons dark rum, or more as needed
Directions
-
Gather all ingredients.
-
Soak the fruit: Place cranberries, currants, cherries, mango, and citron into a medium bowl and stir to combine. Pour in rum and mix again. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
-
When ready to make the fruitcake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cut a 6-inch circle of parchment paper. Spray a 6×3-inch round pan with cooking spray. Place the parchment circle in the bottom of the pan, and spray it with cooking spray.
-
Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg until incorporated.
-
Whisk flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda together in a large bowl; set aside. Stir molasses and milk together in a separate bowl until well combined. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with molasses and milk mixture, beating batter briefly after each addition.
-
Stir in soaked fruit and pecans. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
-
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
-
While the fruitcake is baking, cut one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake.
-
Remove fruitcake from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then drizzle 2 tablespoons rum over top.
-
Moisten the cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Place it on top of the parchment paper, and unmold fruitcake onto it. Brush the top and sides of fruitcake with remaining 3 tablespoons rum.
-
Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with the parchment paper.
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Transfer the wrapped fruitcake to airtight container or tin. Seal the container and let age at room temperature for at least 10 weeks (if possible) before serving.
Cook’s Note
Although, you can eat this cake right away, for the best flavor, let the fruitcake age for at least 10 weeks (if you can), dousing it with additional rum every week of storage to keep the cake flavorful and moist.
This fruitcake is delicious as-is, or covered with a thin layer of almond paste.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 302 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 15g | 19% |
| Saturated Fat 8g | 39% |
| Cholesterol 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium 203mg | 9% |
| Total Carbohydrate 33g | 12% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 21g | |
| Protein 3g | 5% |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 51mg | 4% |
| Iron 1mg | 8% |
| Potassium 244mg | 5% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
By and originally appeared in All Recipes
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