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:
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:
Preheat the oven to 275°F.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar.
Add the eggs one at a time until each is well incorporated.
Add the sifted flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla.
Remove the bowl from the stand and add the fruit with its liquid.
Mix with a wooden spoon.
Place in an ungreased 10-inch pan and bake for 2 hours.
