Light fruitcake with whiskey
A customizable fruitcake everyone will enjoy
Prep Time 7 days d
Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
- 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
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.
Keyword light fruit cake, modern fruitcake, southern fruitcake, whiskey fruitcake