A modern fruitcake recipe everyone will love
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A light fruitcake with whiskey and nutmeg
Learn how to make a fruitcake that gives this iconic Christmas treat a good name!
Why do we only see fruitcakes at Christmas?
Until modern times, fruitcake was a celebratory luxury cake believe it or not! The ingredients were more expensive and not everyone could afford them so the spiced batter and nutmeats along with crystalized or glacee fruits were reserved for special occasions like holidays and weddings.
It was not until the chiffon-style cakes become more popular with the invention of box cake mixes in the early part of the 20th century that fruitcakes fell out of favor for the lighter sponge style.
You may like this video on discontinued boxed cake mix flavors that also touches on the invention of these nostalgic flavors. It's on my historic cooking channel and it's a lot of fun!
This recipe makes a more pleasant poundcake-style cake scented with nutmeg and simple single nut along with your choice of candied fruit an plump rasins for a texture and flavor sensation. Let's not forget the dose of bourbon or whiskey to add that extra something.
The best liquors for fruitcake
I use vanilla whiskey (crown royal vanilla) but you use what you like and tastes good to you. Any of the "brown" liquors like rum, bourbon, whiskey, brandy, orange liqueur and amaretto will all add their own unique twist to make this recipe truly your own.
What kind of fruits are in fruitcake?
The use of sugar to preserve fruit dates back to ancient times, with evidence suggesting it was first practiced in India around 500 BCE. India was the first to refine sugar from sugarcane and preserved fruit likely followed soon after as sugar became available.
By the Middle Ages, sugar preservation techniques spread through trade routes to the Middle East and Europe. In these regions, fruits like quince, figs, and citrus were preserved with sugar, creating jams, marmalades, and candied fruits. These methods became particularly popular in Europe during the Renaissance as sugar imports increased.
For this recipe you will pick your favorite single fruit to add to the nut and raisin combination. I used candied orange peel to give a panettone flavor. Candied cherries, candied pineapple, currents, dates, apricots or lemon peel. Just keep it to one additional fruit to make this a modern twist on fruitcake.
The perfect pan for fruitcake
For this recipe you will use a tube pan, a flute pan, angel food or a bundt pan. This will allow more opportunity for the alcohol to soak in and the denser batter to cook through without becoming dry. I use this silicone bundt pan.
You will use cheesecloth to help the even distribution and absorption of the alcohol into your cake. The flavor will mellow over a week and add extra depth to the overall flavor of your cake.
Make this at least one week in advance.
Light fruitcake with whiskey
Equipment
- 1 mid size baking pan with a hold in the center 8-10 cup bundt, flute, angel food style
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups walnuts or pecans halves or chopped coarsely
- 3 oz your choice of a single candied fruit cherries, orange peel, chopped dates, currants, pineapple, etc
- 1.5 c dark or yellow raisins soft (dont use old hard fruit)
- 1 c dark liquor Vanilla whiskey, bourbon, rum, combination of amaretto or orange liqueur cut with the plain rum, bourbon or whiskey to your taste
- 2 1/4 c all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt do not use iodized salt it will affect the flavor
- 1 tsp nutmeg Freshly grated is preferred this is the only spice in the fruit cake
- 1 c butter, unsalted, softened
- 1 1/3 c granlated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- cheese cloth and aluminum foil to cover cake
Instructions
- Day before, soak raisins, nuts and your additional dried fruit in 1/2 cup of the alcohol you've chosen. Cover and leave at room temperature stirring a few times to ensure it is all absorbed prior to beginning your bake.
- Day of baking, give the fruit mixture a final stir the set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. If not using a silicone pan, grease pan well.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt on wax paper or in a mid sized bowl. Set aside.
- In a larger bowl or mixer bowl, mix butter at medium speed along with sugar and vanilla. It should become light and fluffy after 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Continue to beat for about 4 minutes more to increase the air and volume, it will become a bit lighter and fluffier.Slowly add in flour mixture, small amounts and turn mixer to low so you don't increase the gluten development. Stir in last addition by hand. Be gentle but thorough.
- Then fold in fruit and nut mixture. Empty bowl into your prepared pan and smooth over the top and ensturethere are no air bubbles.
- Bake for about 80-90 minutes or til cake tester comes out clean do not overbake.
- Cool on a rack in the pan for about 45 minutes then turn out and continue to cool completely.
- Lay out foil, enough that will cover the cake, two long sheets will suffice. Then lay cheesecloth over it. Place the cake in the center and fold cheesecloth over it entirely including in the center hole area so all parts of the cake have contact with cheesecloth.Spoon over remaining half cup of liquor. Wrap foil tightly around cake and put in fridge for 7 day or more. Serve in thin slices at room temperature.Cake will keep several weeks in the fridge.
Tell me what fruit you will add to your mix!
See the video on youtube
