Bake a fruitcake (or two, one for a gift) this Holiday season for a fruitcake lover in your life.
Fruitcake.
You either love it or not.
I don’t.
But my mom and her sisters do!
Last time I went home to the Philippines, 3 years ago, I baked my mom and aunt this fruitcake a few weeks before flying home.
I then brushed the cakes with rum for a few days and aged them in the fridge.
My mom loved it so much.
My aunt, she got unlucky and was unable to try hers. I had packed the fruitcake in a couple of layers of foil and she placed hers in her fridge.
One night thereafter she came home after work and wanted a slice.
She opened her fridge, and it was gone!!! She was so upset. Her helper threw it out as he thought it was expired.
So this year, I will wrap it nicely and put a ribbon on it so she finally gets to try this fruitcake!
This recipe comes from a trusted source, Simply Recipes.
What is in this fruitcake?
This fruit cake is chockful of dried fruits and walnuts, definitely not for the faint-hearted. For the dried fruits, we have raisins, cranberries, and dates. You can also use candied cherries instead of cranberries. I just prefer cranberries.
Orange zest is also added for an additional layer of fruitiness.
Let’s make fruitcake
Line two 8 x 4.5-inch baking pans or one 9×5 inch baking pan. Make sure there is an overhang to ensure ease of removal.
Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C.
In a small bowl, add the baking soda to the sour cream. Mix well and set aside.
Important to toss the add-ins with flour.
Toss the dried fruits and nuts with 1/4 c/30 g flour. Set aside.
This is to ensure that the fruits and nuts will be suspended in the batter and not sink to the bottom.
In the bowl of your mixer or a large bowl, put in the sugar and orange zest. Work in the zest with your fingers. It is a little extra work, but doing this will infuse the sugar with all the beautiful orange oil and aroma.
Add the butter and beat until fluffy. Add the egg. Mix well. Then add the sour cream.
Add the flour and salt. Mix well.
Remove from mixer and fold in the fruits and nuts. Pour into baking pan/s (if making two).
Place in the middle rack and place a baking pan in the lowest rack and fill with water. This will ensure a gentle bake as the cakes will be in the oven for a long time.
Bake until a skewer comes out clean. Start checking at 1 hour, and in 10-minute increments. If baking only one fruitcake, it may need up to 2 hours.
Cool completely.
When done, remove the fruitcake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack to cool.
Once cool, brush with brandy or rum as desired.
Store tightly wrapped in aluminum foil.
Other Holiday Gifts Suggestions:
Pin this Fruitcake recipe for future reference:
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Tweety, adapted from Simply Recipes
Yields 1 large loaf or two medium loaves
A festive fruitcake fit for the holidays.
20 minPrep Time
1 hr, 28 Cook Time
1 hr, 48 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 c (240 g) sour cream
- 1 c (150 g) roughly chopped pitted dates
- 2 c (280 g) raisins
- 1/2 c (70 g) dried cranberries
- 1 c (100 g) chopped walnuts
- 2 c (240 g) all-purpose flour, divided into 1/4 c (30 g) and 1 3/4 c (210 g)
- 1/2 c (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 c (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- Optional: 1/4 c/ 60ml brandy or rum (or more if desired)
Directions
- Line two 8 x 4.5 inch baking pans or one 9x5 inch baking pan.
- Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C.
- In a small bowl, add the baking soda to the sour cream. Mix well and set aside.
- Toss the fruits and nuts with 1/4 c/30 g flour. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer or a large bowl, put in the sugar and orange zest. Work in the zest with your fingers. Add the butter and beat until fluffy. Add the egg. Mix well. Then add the sour cream.
- Add the flour and salt. Mix well.
- Remove from mixer and fold in the fruits and nuts.
- Pour into baking pan/s (if making two).
- Place in the middle rack and place a baking pan in the lowest rack and fill with water. Bake until a skewer comes out clean. Start checking at 1 hour, and in 10 minute increments. If baking only one fruitcake, it may need up to 2 hours.
- When done, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
- Once cool, brush with brandy or rum as desired.
- Store tightly wrapped in aluminum foil.
Notes
The weight equivalents are those I noted when weighing out the ingredients in cups. These may vary depending on the brand of raisins or cranberries, and on how large or small you chop the dates and walnuts. A few grams more or less will not harm your fruitcakes.
