When we think of the holidays, we used to think of fruitcakes. I remember my husband got fruitcake mailed to him from Arkansas every year, which was given to my mother, who loved them! Growing up, I would try a bite and spit out all the candied fruits as I thought they were yucky!
Fruitcakes can be traced to ancient Egypt where they were placed in the tombs of the deceased royals. Roman warriors carried a mixture of barley, pomegranate seeds, nuts and raisins, with honeyed wine and called them satura. They munched on them to sustain them through the long marches. European crusaders carried a fruitcake made with bread, spices, dried fruit and mead for their long voyages. The German version, a stollen, was created after the Catholic Church prohibited the use of butter during Advent, a time of fasting. The German stollen is made with flour, oil, yeast and water.
I remember all the jokes about fruitcakes that were a main topic of comedians, which did not help with trying to like them. But it is time to revive this tradition as nowadays, the fruits and nuts in the modern fruitcake are often dried fruits such as dates or figs and are quite delicious!
So let’s wipe out the stigma about fruitcakes and try these recipes.
Holiday Fruitcake
Serves 12
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch angel food or tube pan.
Sift together dry ingredients in a medium bowl:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Add to the flour mixture and toss to coat:
1-2/3 cups chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
In a bowl of an electric mixer, cream till light and fluffy:
2 cups sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
Add one at a time, mixing between each addition:
4 large eggs
Add:
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
Fold in dry ingredients until just combined. The mixture will resemble cookie dough. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake until golden and the tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut around the edges of cake to loosen cake. Turn out cake onto a rack, cool completely. Can be made two days earlier and wrapped tightly in plastic.
Peach-Pistachio Fruitcake
Makes 2 fruitcakes
Combine in a saucepan, stir over low heat until sugar dissolves:
3 cups sugar
2 cups water
Increase heat the bring to boil. Cool syrup completely. Add:
1 cup bourbon
2 cups dried chopped peaches
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dried chopped pears
1 cup chopped dried pineapple
Let stand at least 2 hours at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Butter two 9 X 5 X 3-inch loaf pans. Line with parchment paper. Drain fruit thoroughly. In a large bowl, add:
1-1/2 cups unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup finely ground almonds
3/4 cup flour
Add fruit mixture and toss. In another bowl, mix together:
3/4 cup flour
1-1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Whisk in:
6 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
Using electric mixer, cream until fluffy:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Add, one at a time:
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Stir in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fold in fruit mixture.
Divide batter between two prepared pans. Bake until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1-1/2 hours. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 15 minutes.
Remove cakes from pans.
Mix in small bowl:
4 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 cup peach preserves
Brush mixture over top and sides of warm cakes. Cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool place for at least 2 days and up to one month.
Chocolate-Orange Fruitcake with Pecans
16 servings
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Generously butter and flour a 12-cup angel food cake pan. Combine:
2-1/2 cups large pecans, toasted
1 cup packed, chopped dried black Mission figs
1 cup packed, chopped pitted prunes
1 cups packed, chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup frozen orange juice, thawed
1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sift into a medium bowl:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Combine in bowl of food processor:
1 pound box dark brown sugar
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat until fluffy:
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
Add chocolate mixture.
Add, one at a time:
4 large eggs at room temperature
Stir in 1/4 of the dry ingredients. Mix in fruit mixture and remaining dry ingredients in 3 additions each.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until a tester inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 55 minutes.
Cool for 5 minutes. Turn the pan over onto the rack and let it stand for 5 minutes. Lift off the pan, cool the cake completely.
Wrap cake in plastic and store at room temperature for 2 days.
Merry Christmas!
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.