English Fruitcake

Of all the fruitcakes I baked this year, this one was my favorite! Full disclosure, I don't like maraschino cherries, even though I understand it’s a staple in traditional fruitcakes. So, I didn’t want to add it to this recipe (or any other).

Though, I really enjoyed the “yellow” fruit in this recipe — I think it made a pretty cake. Overall, the taste was very good. I didn’t add milk as suggested in the original recipe, because once I added the dried fruit with the brandy, I felt like that was all the liquid I needed. The brandy dose comes through in the taste.

I finished it off with a bit of a vanilla glaze, which is nothing more than 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 plus 1 tablespoon whole milk all whisked together.

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces butter, at room temperature

• 10 ounces granulated, sugar

• 5 eggs

• 1 pound all-purpose flour, sifted

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 pound dried fruit chopped (pineapple, orange peel, golden raisins)

Yields: 1 (9-inch) loaf

Prep Time: 1 day & 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Method:

1. The day of or even a few days before making this fruit cake, soak the chopped fruit in brandy. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and place in a cool place in your kitchen.

The day of baking:

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar.

3. Add the eggs one at a time until each is well incorporated.

4. Add the sifted flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla.

5. Remove the bowl from the stand and add the fruit with its liquid.

6. Mix with a wooden spoon.

7. Place in an ungreased 10-inch pan and bake for 2 hours.