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Christmas: Classic English Fruitcake

Source of Recipe

From "Camille Glenn's Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookbook"


Recipe Introduction

"Down through the ages, bread was considered man's most valuable food, but cake or sweetened breads long ago became a symbol of celebrations such as the Yuletide feasts. And there is nothing - with the exception of the decorated and highly lit evergreen tree - that speaks more strongly of Christmas than fruitcake. We inherited the making of fruitcakes, puddings, and mincemeats from our English ancestors. The formulas for these holiday sweets have remained a classic culinary art that we have never betrayed. We revere them as they have come down to us through the ages. A fine fruitcake is testimony of a superb baker and cook, and one who loves the art. The selection of the best ingredients comes first, then the wisdom of the baker. When properly cared for, fruitcakes mellow with time, and they are, without a doubt, one of the great joys of the holiday table. In England and on the Continent, brandy was usually used in fruitcakes. In the Deep South, rum was popular, but in Virginia and Kentucky, bourbon was used. The choice is up to you. I prefer cognac, but a fine bourbon tastes not unlike a good brandy."

List of Ingredients

◦  ½ cup cognac, Jamaica rum, or good-quality bourbon
◦  1 cup pitted dates, sliced
◦  1½ cups dark Mission figs, chopped
◦  ½ cup dried pitted prunes, chopped
◦  1 cup dark sticky raisins, chopped
◦  2½ cups mixed glacéed fruits, including apricots, pineapple, citron, angelica, currants, orange peel, and lemon peel
◦  2¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
◦  1 tsp salt
◦  ¼ tsp baking soda
◦  1 tsp baking powder
◦  2 tsp ground cinnamon
◦  1 tsp ground allspice
◦  1 tsp ground cloves
◦  ½ tsp ground coriander
◦  ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
◦  1½ cups dark brown sugar
◦  4 large eggs
◦  ½ cup heavy or whipping cream
◦  â…“ to ½ cup cognac, Jamaica rum, or good-quality bourbon, for basting the cakes in storage


Recipe

Combine the ½ cup cognac and all the fruits in a large bowl. Stir and allow to marinate overnight, covered.

Preheat the oven to 250° F.
Lightly grease two loaf pans and line them with aluminum foil. Set them aside.

Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices together into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Alternating, gradually add the cream and the flour mixture, beating thoroughly. Do not overbeat.

Stir in the marinated fruits by hand. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, leaving a ¾-inch space at the top.

Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, from 2 to 2½ hours (test after 2 hours). Let the cakes cool in the pans. Then turn them out onto a rack and baste with some of the cognac. Wrap each cake in a clean cloth, place them in an airtight tin or plastic container, and store in a cool place or in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.

Check the cakes once a week and if the cloths have dried out, baste the cakes again with cognac. The cakes will keep for months this way.


Makes 2 loaf cakes


â—¦ Black sticky raisins, which I prefer, are seeded before they are dried. The raisins that rattle in the box are made of Thompson seedless grapes, and I don't recommend them. I like Sunsweet brand raisins.

â—¦ You can bake this cake in a tube pan or mold, if you like. The larger pan may require a longer baking time, so watch it carefully.