A Christmas fruitcake is a timeless holiday dessert that combines sweet dried fruits, crunchy nuts, and aromatic spices. This guide will show you how to make a moist and flavorful Christmas fruitcake step by step.
Today, you can now make your own fruitcake all year round. Try this classic yet easy to make fruitcake recipes that are not just for holiday season. You can even make an extra money or a business to start by selling them to your neighbors and friends, or to food shops and restaurants.
Ingredients for Christmas Fruitcake
For the Fruit Mixture:
- 1 ½ cups candied cherries (red and green), chopped
- 1 ½ cups candied pineapple, chopped
- 1 cup raisins
- ¾ cup currants
- 2 cups mixed nuts (pecans or walnuts), chopped
- ½ cup orange juice or brandy
Batter:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon molasses (optional)
Decoration (Optional):
- Whole candied cherries
- Almonds or pecans
Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Make the Christmas Fruitcake
- Prepare the Fruit Mixture
-Place candied fruits, raisins, currants, and nuts in a large mixing bowl.
-Pour orange juice or brandy over the mixture.
-Stir well, cover the bowl, and let it sit overnight to soak. - Preheat the Oven and Prepare Pans
-Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C).
-Grease a 9-inch round or loaf pan. Line it with parchment paper. - Make the Batter
-Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
-Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
-Mix in vanilla extract and molasses (if using). - Combine Dry Ingredients
-In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
-Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix until combined. - Incorporate the Fruit Mixture
-Dredge the soaked fruit and nut mixture in a small amount of flour to prevent sinking.
-Fold the fruit mixture into the batter until evenly distributed. - Bake the Fruitcake
-Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
-Bake for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Place a small pan of water in the oven to keep the cake moist.
-Check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center. It should come out clean. - Cool and Store
-Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
-Remove the cake from the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
-Wrap the cake in cheesecloth soaked in brandy or orange juice. Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
-Store in an airtight container for at least 2 weeks to age.
Tips for a Perfect Christmas Fruitcake
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh nuts and spices enhance the flavor.
- Soak the fruits: Let the fruits soak overnight for better texture and taste.
- Bake low and slow: A low temperature prevents the cake from drying out.
- Moisture maintenance: Place a water-filled pan in the oven to keep the cake moist.
- Brush with liquor: Weekly brushing with brandy or orange juice helps the cake mature and intensifies flavor.
Simple Recipe Variation
Ingredients:
- 2 cups mixed dried fruits (apricots, figs, or dates)
- ½ cup dark rum
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions:
- Soak dried fruits in rum overnight.
- Mix oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time.
- Sift flour, baking soda, and allspice. Gradually add to wet ingredients.
- Fold in soaked fruits and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 2 hours.
Holiday Fruitcake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped dried apricots
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped dried figs or raisins
- ¾ cup (175 mL) brandy
- 1 cup (250 mL) unbleached white flour
- 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
- ½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder
- 2 eggs plus 2 egg whites, slightly beaten (or ¾ cup/175 mL) liquid egg substitute
- ½ cup (125 mL) frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted
- 1 jar (284 mL) maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped pecans
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped walnuts
Glazes:
½ cup (125 mL) powdered sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted
1 tsp (5 mL) water
Directions:
1. Place apricots and figs or raisins in a small bowl. Pour brandy over fruit. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand overnight at room temperature. Drain. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 300oF. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in eggs or egg substitute and ½ cup (125 mL) orange juice concentrate. Stir in cherries, pecans, walnuts, apricots and figs or raisins. Mix well. Pour batter into a 2 L loaf pan that has been sprayed with vegetable cooking spray.
3. Bake fruitcake for 2 hours. Cover cake with foil. Bake for 15 minutes more, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Remove cake from pan and place on wire rack to cool.
4. Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over cake while cake is still hot. Cool completely. Wrap cooked cake in plastic wrap, then in foil. Store in refrigerator.
Fruitcake Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 lb butter
- 12 eggs
- 1 lb. sugar
- 1 lb flour
- 1 lb white raisins
- 1 lb walnut meats
- 1 lb. red and green candied cherries
- 1 lb. bakers flaked coconut
- 1 lb. candies pineapple
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in ¼ cup warm water
- 2 cups brandy–any brand
Procedures:
Step 1. Soak the raisins, walnuts, cherries, coconut and pineapple with 2 cups brandy overnight in a stainless steel bowl.
Step 2. In a 5 quart mixing bowl cream butter and sugar, then add eggs slowly, then add your flour and blend well, add the baking soda and water and mix a minute more, add all other ingredients and mix until well blended.
Step 3. Now you are going to bake it in a 2 pound pan, or in the pan of your choice, foil or hard pan, line the pan with wax paper or baking paper or better yet a pan liner the size of the pan. For a 2 pound pan, Place 1 pound 12 ounces of the mixture in the pan and level it with a spoon, don’t bang it on the table. Bake it in a 350 degree preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, depends on your oven and how brown you want it.
Step 4. It’s done when a pick is placed in the center and it comes out clean. Let it cool on a rack for a while and then sprinkle it with 1 ounce of brandy and then another ounce when it is cool and then pack it away for about 3 days in your refrigerator and then “enjoy it”.
White Fruit Cake
Ingredients:
- 2 cups butter
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 8 eggs, separated
- 2 ounces candied citron peel
- 2 ounces candied orange peel
- 1 cup dried currants
- 1 1/2 cups candied pineapple chunks
- 3 cups golden raisins
- 1 1/2 cups candied cherries
- 4 cups pecans, chopped
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Directions:
1. Chop pineapple, raisins, and cherries. Combine chopped fruit with currants, peel, and citron; soak in orange juice overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Place a small pan of water in the oven. Line one 5 x 9 inch loaf pan and two 3 x 8 inch loaf pans with parchment or doubled waxed paper.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioner’s sugar. Stir in beaten egg yolks. Stir in fruit, juice, and nuts. Mix in sifted flour.
4. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to peaks. Fold into batter. Fill pans 2/3 full.
5. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until golden brown, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
Golden Fruitcake
Ingredients:
- 1 package (1 pound 2.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
- 1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 2-1/2 cups California raisins
- 1 jar (10 ounces) red maraschino cherries, drained
- 1 jar (6 ounces) green maraschino cherries, drained
- 1 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1 cup broken walnuts
Procedure:
Step 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan or 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans. Combine cake mix, sour cream and eggs in large bowl. Mix at low speed until well combined. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon into greased and floured pan.
Step 2. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes for Bundt cake or for 50 to 55 minutes for loaf cakes, or until top is deep golden brown. DO NOT UNDERBAKE. Cool slightly in pan. Remove from pan onto cooling rack. Cool completely. Brush top of cake with light corn syrup, if desired. Wrap tightly in foil. Store in refrigerator.
Sources: streetdirectory.com, calraisins.org, Allrecipes.com, readersdigest.ca
