Fruitcake For Fiesta Friday #99
Festive
I have had these fruit cake photo bombing just about every post lately. I felt they deserve a solo spot. I wanted to publish the recipe because basically I changed much of it after finding a few flaws. I have to say though, it is probably the best fruit cake I have ever made or eaten. The recipe makes one 9 inch loaf or 3 mini loaves, since I give as gifts I make mini’s. I got the recipe last year from Pure Wow, they call it “The Best Damn Fruitcake” and with a few changes they are right about that. I made 3 more today and am bringing with me to Fiesta Friday, I hope they let me in with fruit cake, it gets a really bad rap and mostly for good reason because some of the commercially prepared fruitcakes are vile.
Next week will be the 100th party post and it happens to fall on Christmas Day, a celebration is in order. This week Angie’s co hosts are Caroline @ Caroline’s Cooking and Linda @ La Petite Paniere. Thank you ladies for hosting this week and Angie for all of her hard work.
Best Damn Fruitcake Redux
Makes one 9 inch loaf or 3 mini loaves
1 1/2 cups dried fruit of your choice- I used cherries, cranberries, apricots, pears and golden raisins. Use however much you like of each so that you have a total of 1 1/2 cups
1 1/2 cups nuts chopped- I used pecans, hazelnuts, pistachio’s and almonds. Use whatever you like, however much of each so that it equals 1 1/2 cups
1 cup booze or fruit juice like apple cider- (I have used cognac, bourbon, port, also have thrown in some Poire William), heated on stove top or in microwave until hot not boiling . (This time I used Port and it’s great)
12 tbs unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs orange zest
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of cinnamon
1 tbs retained liquid from fruit
Demerara or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Pre heat oven to 325 and prepare your loaf pan or pans. Butter or spray with cooking spray.
Pour the hot booze over the fruit and let sit for at least 30 minutes. (You can do this the night before and let the fruit sit all night in the booze)
Drain the fruit but retain the liquid, you will need it later so don’t discard.
Place the drained fruit and chopped nuts in a bowl and set aside.
In your mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar for about 4-5 minutes. It should be light and fluffy, scrape sides as needed. Add the eggs one at a time beating well between additions and scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla, orange zest and cinnamon.
Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture and beat only until combined adding the 1 tbs of retained liquid from the fruit. Remove the bowl from your mixer and add the fruit and nuts and fold in until combined. Add the batter to the pan or pans, smooth the top and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake with the rack in the middle of the oven. If you are making one loaf for about 90 minutes or until tester comes out clean. If mini loaves approximately 45 minutes. They will be golden brown. Remove from the oven and spoon some of the liquid on the loaf or loaves and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on rack. To finish them spoon some more liquid on them and wrap in plastic or cheese cloth and store in air tight tin, These are best served 48 hours after baking. You can feed them again with the liquid the next day, re wrap and keep in the tin until ready to serve.
There are no photo’s of it sliced but here is one from last year.
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apuginthekitchen 
Ok Suzanne, you have convinced me to make these fruitcakes. I never made fruitcakes because they are not my favorite but yours look so good I just have to try them .
This does not taste like your typical fruitcake Gerlinde. I don’t like fruit cake and remember turning up my nose to them many a time. This one is really good. If you make it let me know what you think. Thank you so much.
These mini loaves are beautiful! I really like how you’ve given the baker a lot of leeway in terms of the types of dried fruit, nuts, and booze. Dousing the finished loaves in the steeping liquid is brilliant! So delicious!!!
Yes dousing, thats the word I was trying to think of. The cake is doused in boozy liquid. This is the beauty of this cake, use whatever fruit or nuts you like and mix and match the booze. I have used cognac with Poire William, today I had a little left over cognac syrup which I added to the port. It tastes great no matter what you do. Even rum would work. Thank you so much.
Good homemade fruitcake can be magnificent, I didn’t like it much growing up but quite enjoy a small slice of the good stuff now. These mini loaves are cute and a nice change from a huge cake.
It can be, growing up I never had it made at home. We always received a fruitcake as a gift from someone and I remember picking that candied fruit out and trying to eat the tiny bits of cake in between that fruit. This cake has dried fruit which is so much better. Thanks so much Lisa.
Hi Suzanne, you’ve been a busy baker! WooHoo! Merry Christmas my friend…Cheryl
Yes crunch time today made 3 fruit cakes and 2 dozen cookies. Thanks Cheryl Happy Holidays!!!🎄❤️
I’ve always been on the fence about fruitcake Suzanne. Just this year my dad made one and it was the first time I’ve truly enjoyed a slice. All that to say, I think the secret is a good recipe and it sounds like you have one here! I like the mini loafs as they are perfect for gifts! Glad to see that your holiday baking is coming along 🙂
I like the idea of fruitcake and tried to like it for years but until recently had not found none I enjoyed. This is a very good recipe. Thanks Heather!
Even your fruit cake looks amazing! You are a true genius!
That’s very sweet thank you Michelle!
Looks great Suzanne ! Baking a fruit cake at home is definitely a 1000 times better than the commercial ones for sure 😀
Thanks so much Freda, for sure
I love fruitcakes – and yours looks especially good. Great idea, to soak the fruits in port. 🙂
Thanks Ronit, it was my first time using port and I really liked it!!
This fruitcake looks a heck of a lot more delicious than the stuff that used to show up at our house. It was dense and very uncake like. This recipe deserves a photo bomb of it’s own!
LOL, thanks Julie, I just love this recipe. It really is good. I have vivid memories of the fruitcake of my youth and it really is bad. I understand the bad rap.
This sounds really good and I like the minis! I have never made fruit cake but this sounds so good!
It’s so good Lynn, all the fruit and nuts it feels like health food, well maybe not but close. Thanks so much.
haha can we say that? I wish lol make a fruit substitution?
I like to think of it like that. LOL
Suzanne, by the look and description of this one, I think you’ve broken the mold for all fruit cakes. If this one gets around that bad reputation will melt away. I’ve no doubt this would be the first fruit cake I ever liked. 😀 Happy holiday hugs.
Thanks Teagan, if it didn’t have eggs in it I would send you one. Still working on your gift basket btw!! Thank you so much it is a really good fruitcake.
I’m not the only person that loves fruit cake, am I? If you’re making them you must enjoy them as well. Although, I would agree about shop bought. They tend to be very dry affairs. I still haven’t made one, even though I’ve been threatening to do so for 2 years now. And this sounds like a good recipe. Maybe for New Year. 🙂 Oh, and I’m tickled with the idea of your fruit cakes photo bombing!
Lol Johnny you must make one. I have to see the recipe you use. I can imagine how good it will be and what exotic twists you employ. It will be epic!!!
Suzanne, your mini cakes look absolutely delicious. Nuts and fruits are so good together also a perfect gift for Christmas too. Thanks so much to bringing this to Fiesta Friday this week. Enjoy your weekend! 🙂
Thanks so much Linda. Yes the combination is delicious and so festive for the season!!
These look so good Suzanne! I am glad that you photo bombed with these fruit cakes. Dismally motivated me to soak the dried fruits tonight. I have soaked them in part rum and part fresh orange juice!!
Delicious!!!
Thank you Sonal, that sounds wonderful. Can’t wait to see your fruitcakes!!! I love them.
This looks like a great fruitcake! I’ve never made one, so I’ll need to try it out!
This is a really good fruitcake. Highly recommend if you want to make one. I like to keep them wrapped and fed for a few days before eating. Thank you so much and Happy Holidays.
Reblogged this on ravenhawks' magazine and commented:
They do deserve their own post!
Lol, thank you so much.
I like your idea of making mini cakes and the recipe sounds delicious. I just ran across “Pure Wow’s ” blog and wanted to make one of their recipes – I will have to find it 🙂
They make wonderful gifts, I make all sorts of mini loaves and put in gift baskets. Today I am making a vegan pumpkin pecan and spiced pear. They keep well and are so delicious. Thanks so much Judi.
Be sure to post that recipe too Suzanne – this fruitcake recipe looks much better than mine even though it was from Martha Stewart 🙂
I will post it probably on Monday. Thanks Judi.
what a perfect little home made gift!
Thank you Jenn!!
Thank you for reposting this – I’m going to try it with spelt flour… 🙂
They will be wonderful with spelt flour. I just found out a friend of mine has a sensitivity to gluten will try it with the spelt for her Thanks so much.
You probably know this but just to make sure: Spelt flour does contain gluten, but it’s much more easily digestible than the gluten in wheat flour… I any case, I eat spelt no problem and I can’t eat wheat.
Yes she doesn’t have an allergy just a sensitivity and although spelt has gluten because it is more easily digestible she can tolerate it well. She eats some wheat but tries to stay away as much as she can. Thanks so much.
I made it this afternoon with spelt flour and I can confirm that it works REALLY well. Fantastic recipe! Thank you! 🙂
Oh that’s great thank you so much for trying the recipe and reporting back on using spelt thank you so much!!
Luc is also very complimentary which is saying something – it’s disappearing fast. I think I’m going to have to make another one because I wanted to give some to our guests!
I have already made it twice and will probably make one more it is very popular around hear. It makes me happy that you liked the cake. Thank you!!
That shot of the sliced cake looks fab, I love all the nuts 🙂
Me too, love nuts of all kinds and lots of them. Thanks so much Elaine.
I think there’s lots of lucky people in your life receiving these lovely treats 🙂
Thank you.
The loaves look so delicious Suzanne. One for me please!!
Would love to send you one, thank you so much.
Fruits and nuts – I just love the combo. These lovely cakes are perfect for this week’s FF! 🙂
Thanks Jhuls!!
Hi, thanks Suzanne, http://lynzrealcooking.com/2015/12/19/thank-you-suzanne/
So happy for you Lynn and thank you!!
Xoxo
I love fruit cakes! Your looks delicious and easy to make! I am saving the recipe! Happy Fiesta!
Thanks you so much.
Looks great Suzanne 🙂 I just baked mine today and it’s out of the oven now ! ☺️
Thank you so much and thank you for following, I just subscribed to your blog hope to see your fruit cake,
Oh thank you so much dear! Yes will write soon
Ohhh this looks like such a good fruitcake! I think I would actually eat it instead of letting it sit like every other fruitcake I’ve had… 😛
Ah thank you Anne, it is indeed a good fruitcake. Thank you so
Much!
This loaf looks amazing with all my favourite combo of nuts in there…brilliant…..
Thank you so much Chitra!!
Oh my goodness I almost can feel amazing smell of port and nuts and fruits!!! I adore winter baking, there is something special in it..
Hope you’re having lovely time! 🙂
Thank you Mila, I do too, I just loved baking in the winter. Thank you so much and Happy Hoidays.
Suzanne, your fruitcake absolutely come in a good time before Christmas. It gave me a good idea to make for the family and friends presents. Thanks! 🙂
Thanks Mochi, it makes a great gift. It’s delicious. Happy Holidays.
This fruitcake looks great, and reading the recipe I can definitely say I’d try this one. Oh boy, but I remember how really awful most fruitcake was when I was a kid back in the fifites. People would bring it over at Cgristmastime, and my mom would just discard it. Absolutely none of us would eat it. I just remember those awful glaceed cherries. We always felt badly that we did not eat it after folks went to all the trouble to bring it to us, but then my mom said -“Don’t worry kids. Somebody probably gave that to them first!” She had a way oof making everything alright. Best wishes to you for a terrific Christmas and a brilliant 2016!
OMG, thats so funny. Yes, I think your Mom was right it was probably re gifted. I wonder how many fruitcakes were actually sold with all the re gifting. LOL, My Mom would always slice the dreaded fruitcake and put it out and we would pick at it and it would be discarded. Yes those glaceed cherries red and green, ugh… other bits of candied fruit. Thank you so much, this is not your typical fruitcake and it is quite good. A very Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Fruit cake looks delish.. Love the healthy touch u gave to thus cake
Thank you so much, the cake is filled with fruit and nuts, there is sugar and butter but all those good things mitigate the bad I think.
This looks super Suzanne!! Lighter than other fruit cakes I’ve met– but I love all the nuts you put in!! It looks like Christmas past! Like the fruitcakes my grandma made. Thanks for the encouragement to launch into making a good old fashioned fruit cake! Merry Christmas!!
Yes it is lighter, the one I sliced in the photo above had not been aged with booze, it only had the initial dousing. As I drizzle the syrup on them over the weeks they do get a bit darker in color and feel a little heavier. Merry Christmas Rhonda and thank you.
Hi just passing by from Lynz blog to say hello and looking forward to following your lovely blog!
Thank you so much and I can’t wait to check out your blog also. Happy Holidays!!
Thanks and same to you 🙂
I here people say that they don’t like fruit cake. This recipe looks wonderful! I don’t think anyone would argue that this is the perfect fruit cake recipe. Happy holidays to you! 🙂
Thank you so much, and Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Lovely fruit cake recipe, and I like the idea of making some into mini-loaves for gifts. Fruit cake is probably my favourite cakes and this one looks great. I love your combination of fruit, nuts and port. I’m sure it’s delicious.
I haven’t tasted it yet but thought the fruit soaked in Port tasted wonderful. I have had the little cakes wrapped and stored in tins only opening to douse in a little more of the boozy syrup. I hope they are good. They were last year. Thanks Millie and Happy Holidays.
I’m sure anything you bake will be amazing, and I’m happy to take your word on how good they taste. You are a great cook, altogether, Suzanne. 🙂
You are too kind Millie, thank you so much and Happy Holidays!!
Your modern day fruitcake looks good! Thanks for sharing.
Velva
Thank you so much!
I can’t get enough of fruit cake recipes around the holidays, I actually love fruit cake to begin with… I know I am odd but I am a bit obsessed with dried fruit, so I will surely love this as well:-) happy holidays to you and your family
What pretty home-made foodie gifts! I like that! I always bring home-made food gifts to a party or feast! 🙂 Yours look just stunning & so alternative too! Yummm! xxxx
Thank you so much Sophie!!
Your fruitcake would be most welcomed in my house, I love them.
Karen, thank you so much and Happy Holidays to you!!
I can’t do the commercial fruit cakes, but a homemade one is just fabulous! Love this! Happy Holidays 🙂
I am with you on the commercial fruit cakes. thank you so much Sarah and Happy Holidays!!
I love a homemade fruit cake at Christmas & yours looks delicious. Thanks for co hosting the Fiesta party & all the best for 2016 🙂
Hi Sarah, thank you so much. Wishing you an amazing 2016!!
Ooh, gosh, you’ve been a busy baker, Suzanne! I’m sure your house smells wonderful. 😀
Thank you!!
Wooooow love the recipe and delectable share
Thank you Linda, so happy to see you Happy New Year to you and yours hope you have a wonderful 2016!!
My pleasure darling, same to you and your family too & yes it was gud ❤😘
yummy !!