Holiday Fruit Cake

This is a first for me!!! This fruitcake recipe came from The Old English Mix (the upside down container, this is the way they stored it in the store) I love that it is chopped fine and that it makes the fruitcake texture more to my liking and I love the flavor. What I love the most about the recipe are all the flavors that are incorporated, Citron, Dates, raisins, Almonds, Walnuts, Pineapple, and Cherries, Cinnamon, Molasses and Bourbon.

This season hasn’t been like any other holiday season, but we endeavor to make it special in its own way. So this year I decided to try and make something I have never made before.. Fruitcake. Now to be honest I have never been a big fan of Fruitcake (Citron is an acquired taste) but it is one of my partner’s favorites, so I wanted to give it a try. On top of that we added Jim Beam Bourbon to the cake, one more thing that I have never been a big fan of. But 2020 is a year of change and challenges and this is a big one for me.. So I first started by taking a small shot of Bourbon and OH MY GOODNESS I am a fan, wow what a mellow flavor.

Paradise Fruit Company is where this recipe originated from and I have put their website here if you would like to see their other products or recipes. https://www.paradisefruitco.com. The bourbon we used was Jim Beam https://www.jimbeam.com/en Nice mellow flavor, but you can use a liquor of your choice or if you prefer no liquor you can replace it with orange juice.

The recipe is pretty basic and straight forward. Add all the fruits and nuts to a large bowl and blend together and then add the bourbon or Orange Juice. You will need to let this soak for 2-3 hours.

Once the Fruit and Nuts have marinated for 3 hours, get a second large bowl and add the butter, flour, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, molasses, cinnamon and baking soda, mix well scrapping the sides of the bowl a few times.

Now you add the fruit to your batter and mix thoroughly.

You will notice in my pictures that I DID NOT use parchment paper when I made this in the loaf pans, big mistake. Even though I greased it well it still stuck somewhat to the bottom. I was able to save it but I strongly advise to place parchment paper length wise and width wise so you can just lift this out of the pan, a little secret from my friend the Phyllis fruitcake lady or flour the pan completely. Press the batter into the pan firmly with a spatula to reduce air-pockets. Now off to the oven that has been preheated to 275° and bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool complete.

Now the fun part: I wrapped the fruitcake in cheese cloth after doing this step, but I have seen other recipes out there that don’t wrap the cake, it is your choice. You will take about 1/2 cup of your liquor of choice and baste the 2 cakes or 1 cake if you used the tube pan on the top and sides. I then wrapped the cake in cheese cloth and placed in an air tight container.

Then once a week, for 5 weeks, we opened and basted the 2 cakes through the cloth with another 1/4 to 1/2 cup bourbon. On the 6th week we were ready to have a piece.

Now if you use no liquor, you will either wrap in cheese cloth and place in a air tight container or just place in an air tight container and let it sit for a few weeks to let the flavors of the cake meld together and let the cake moisten.

This Fruitcake recipe isn’t an instant gratification recipe, it will take a few weeks before you get to sample the end product. Although the original recipe says to eat immediately, as there was no liquor added.

If 2020 has taught me anything it is to take the time to really enjoy the journey. There will always be a new something around the corner, take the time to enjoy the moment… HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!