Fruitcake People Actually Like

Before you start

Fruitcake's poor reputation comes mostly from chewy, artificially colored candied fruit packed into a dry crumb. This version uses fruit you would snack on, such as golden raisins, dried cherries, apricots and dates, soaked overnight in dark rum until plump. The batter is just enough to hold the fruit together: buttery, brown-sugared, warmly spiced and lifted with orange zest.

The long, low bake is deliberate. A dense, fruit-heavy loaf needs time at a gentle temperature for the center to cook before the edges dry or burn, so line the pan well and expect it to take up to 2 hours. Brushing the warm cake with more rum and letting it rest for a few days rounds out the flavors, though it is good the next day too.

Ingredients

• Soaked fruit600 g (about 4 cups) mixed dried fruit — such as golden raisins, dried cherries, chopped apricots and chopped pitted dates
• 120 ml (½ cup) dark rum or brandy — or orange juice
• 1 orange, finely grated zest
• Batter170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter — softened
• 150 g (¾ cup, packed) dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs — room temperature
• 2 tbsp unsulphured molasses
• 190 g (1½ cups plus 1 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp each ground nutmeg and allspice
• 100 g (1 cup) pecans or walnuts — toasted and roughly chopped
• To finish2 to 3 tbsp dark rum or brandy — for brushing; optional

Method

1. The night before, stir the dried fruit, rum and orange zest in a bowl. Cover and leave at room temperature for 12 hours, stirring once or twice, until the fruit has absorbed nearly all the liquid.
2. Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Grease the loaf pan and line it with two strips of parchment so the paper rises 5 cm above the rim on all sides.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Take 2 tablespoons of this mixture and toss it with the soaked fruit and nuts to keep them from sinking.
4. Beat the butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes, until lighter and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the molasses. A slightly curdled look is fine.
5. Mix in the flour on low just until combined, then fold in the fruit, any remaining soaking liquid and the nuts with a spatula. The batter will be very thick.
6. Spoon it into the pan, press it into the corners and smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, until deep brown and a skewer pushed into the center comes out free of wet batter. Lay foil loosely over the top after 1 hour if it is darkening fast.
7. Set the pan on a rack. Poke holes all over the warm cake with a skewer and brush with the rum, if using. Cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours.
8. Lift the cake out using the parchment. Wrap it tightly in fresh parchment and then foil. Slice thinly with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.

Tips for success

• Cut dates and apricots to about the size of a raisin so every slice has a mix of fruit and slices cleanly.
• For a stronger rum flavor, unwrap and brush with 1 tablespoon of rum once a week for up to 3 weeks.
• Low and slow matters more than the exact time. A dense fruit loaf can look done outside while the center is still wet; trust the skewer.

Substitutions

Rum or brandy

Use orange juice or strong black tea for an alcohol-free cake. It tastes brighter and keeps only about a week, refrigerated.

Molasses

Use dark corn syrup or honey. The cake will be lighter in color with less of the deep, slightly bitter note.

Pecans

Leave the nuts out and add 100 g more dried fruit to keep the same bulk.

Variations

Mini fruitcakes

Divide the batter among three 15 x 8 cm (6 x 3 in) mini loaf pans and bake for 55 to 70 minutes.

Troubleshooting

Fruit sank to the bottom

The batter was too loose or the fruit was wet. Drain off any unabsorbed liquid and coat the fruit in a little of the flour mixture before folding.

Edges are dark and dry but the middle is wet

The oven was too hot. Bake at 150°C (300°F), use a double layer of parchment, and tent with foil once the top is brown.

Cake crumbles when sliced

It was cut warm or too soon. Let it cool completely and rest wrapped overnight, then slice with a sharp serrated knife.

Storage

Wrapped tightly in parchment and foil, a rum-brushed fruitcake keeps in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks, or refrigerated for up to 1 month. It freezes well for 3 months. Unwrap and check before eating; discard if you see mold.

Safety notes

Rum brushed onto the baked cake is not cooked off, and some alcohol remains in the crumb from the soak. Serve the juice-soaked version to children or anyone avoiding alcohol. Do not taste the raw batter. Contains wheat, egg, milk and tree nuts.