HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE
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A simple recipe of classic holiday fruitcake jammed with the goodness of candied fruits, dried fruits, and nuts. This airy, light, tender, and yummilicious cake will become your favorite in no time.
The holiday season calls for baking tasty treats in the kitchen now and then. Be it the pies, cupcakes, puddings, cookies, swiss rolls, or brownies, the one dessert without which the holiday season is incomplete is the fruitcake.
Every year fruitcakes show up during Christmas time. People bring fruitcakes as gifts, make jokes about them, love them, and hate them. Allegedly, some people dislike them because of the candied fruits (sigh!). Love it or hate it, fruitcakes are here to stay, but have you ever wondered what could be the story behind this seasonal dessert?
HISTORY OF FRUITCAKES
The first fruitcake was probably made in ancient Rome. The 2000 years old recipe had pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins mixed into a cake made out of barley mash. Later in the Middle Ages, fruitcakes with honey, preserved fruit, and spices became popular.
The rampant use of butter and fruits in fruitcakes was responsible for endowing them with special status. During the 19th century, fruitcake became a traditional wedding cake in England. But when and how the fruitcakes became a holiday dessert remains a mystery.
FRUITCAKES AROUND THE WORLD
There are many different versions of fruitcakes all over the world. In Germany, the fruitcake is called Stollen characterized by a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top.
In Italy, fruitcakes are known as Panforte or Pannetonne, though these are more like bread and use yeast.
Poland and Bulgaria call them Keks. In Portugal, they call it Bolo Rei.
Vietnam has a fruitcake called Banh-bo-Mut made for the Lunar New Year.
FRUITCAKE - A KOLKATA CHRISTMAS RITUAL
Making a fruitcake is often perceived as a humungous task, but with sound planning, it should be a cake-walk (no pun intended!). Baking a holiday fruitcake has been a ritual in my home ever since I remember. Not just my home, fruitcakes are an abiding symbol of Christmas in Kolkata, the city I grew up. All the bakeries open up their doors to the cake-lovers who throng the shops during this time of the year. The favorite bakeries around the city Nahoum's and Sons, Saldanha's, Monginis, or the fancier shop Flury's, sell cakes all through the night on Christmas Eve.
In Kolkata, the tradition of baking, gifting, and eating plum cakes goes a long way back. Some families love baking their fruitcakes. They soak their dried fruits weeks in advance and look forward to holiday baking. With the correct preparation, baking a Christmas fruitcake at home is both easy and rewarding.
As kids, we used to celebrate all festivals with the same veracity. Be it Durga Puja, Diwali, Holi, Id, or Christmas, food has always been a big part of the celebrations. Each year on Christmas eve, my father would patiently queue up outside Nahoum's and buy their coveted Christmas fruitcake. Yet, my mother loved to bake some fruitcakes at home and share them with relatives and friends. Honestly, I always thought my mother's cake tasted way better. I don't know if it was her love or her recipe that made all the difference! Keeping up with the family traditions, I bake some Christmas fruitcakes every year and gift them to my friends. I follow almost the same recipe with a few tweaks here and there.
SOAKING THE FRUITS
The traditional Christmas fruit cake is rich, dark, and moist. You may use anything from Rum, wine, whisky, brandy, sherry, or fruit juice to soak the fruits.
When the dry fruits are soaked, they absorb the liquid and become plump. When baked, some of this liquid oozes out into the cake batter, resulting in a moist cake. In a nutshell, pre-soaking results in a better cake. Having said that, how long you should soak the fruits is completely your choice. Some people soak their fruits for as long as 4 months. Most people go for 10-15 days.
Could not pre-soak the fruits? No worries, you can still make the perfect Christmas cake. This is the recipe that you have been waiting for.
ABOUT THIS RECIPE
This recipe is an heirloom recipe that will result in the most flavorful, light, and tender fruitcake. Traditionally fruitcakes are too dense and have a hard texture that does not crumble easily, but I prefer airy and fluffy cakes loaded with fruits and nuts. This recipe will give you airy yet moist, fruit and nut studded indulgent fruitcakes.
This recipe is non-alcoholic so it is perfect for your kids too. Also, this recipe does not need months of pre-soaking the fruits. You can soak your fruits 2-3 days ahead of baking or at least overnight. Also, there is no need to feed this cake for keeping it moist.
I have been making this cake for years now and have always garnered praise for it. My friends and family swear by its taste and richness and cannot stop gushing about it. This recipe is quite simple but could give any fruitcake from a professional bakery run for its money. You have to try it to believe it!
INGREDIENTS
Dry ingredients - All-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.
Fruits - The fruits that I have used are suggestions, you can use any fruits of your choice. I have used crystallized ginger, caramelized orange peel, tutti frutti, black raisins, and pitted dates.
Nuts - Cashewnuts, pistachios, and almonds.
Flavors - Orange juice or any fruit juice of your choice and pure vanilla extract.
Spices - Cinnamon, cloves, and allspice berries.
Eggs and butter are the heart of this recipe, you cannot miss them.
HOW TO MAKE IT
Cut the fruits into small chunks and soak in sufficient orange juice (enough to fully cover the fruits) in an airtight jar. Leave it in a cool and dark place. Soak for 2-3 days or at least overnight before you bake the cake.
I have used a 9X4 loaf pan and a 9-inch circular pan to make this cake. You can use any size pan that suits you. The first step is to prepare your pans. Butter the inside of the pan, making sure to get into all the corners. Line the pan with parchment paper to avoid the cake from sticking to the bottom and also for easy removal and a beautiful presentation.
Grind the cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice berries to a fine powder.
Grind the almonds to a coarse powder and keep aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it is airy and pale. Mix in the brown sugar and continue beating.
Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla essence, followed by the ground almond and spice mix. Continue beating until everything is incorporated together.
Mix in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and fold and mix using a spatula.
Add the soaked fruits along with the excess juice. Now add the chopped nuts. At this stage, the batter will be too dense. Add the orange juice to thin out the batter a little bit. Mix everything by folding, do not stir violently or overmix.
Put the batter into your prepared cake pan and level the top with the spatula. Carefully shake the pan to remove the air bubbles.
Put in a preheated oven at 325F for 1 hr 30 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the cake pan before removing it and cutting it into slices.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why are all fruits and nuts in my cake sinking at the bottom? How can I make them float on top?
Toss a handful of fruits and nuts in flour and place them on the top of your cake batter after carefully leveling the top in a cake pan. This will ensure that even when the cake is baked, some fruits and nuts will be visible on the top surface.
What is 'feeding' a fruitcake? How does it help?
Fruit cake tastes better as it matures after baking. So, many people make it well in advance for Christmas and feed it occasionally.
Feeding is the process of poking small holes in the cake with a skewer and then spoon in small amounts of rum, brandy, or whisky through the holes. Occasionally feeding the cakes helps in retaining the moisture in the cake. This step is optional and may be totally eliminated if you are baking a non-alcoholic fruitcake.
What other dry fruits can be used in a fruitcake?
You may use anything from raisins, currants, dried cranberries, cherries, dried figs, prunes, to dried apricots. You may also use candied pineapple orange slices or lemon peel. It is your cake, so make it just as you like it!
Can fresh fruits or berries be used in a fruitcake?
Fresh fruits should ideally be avoided in a fruitcake because they may turn the cake soggy and completely change the texture of the cake. Dry fruits absorb liquid better making them a better choice.
Can I add milk instead of orange juice for thinning the batter?
I think there is nothing wrong with adding milk although I have not tried it yet.
I forgot to soak my fruits overnight, can I still make a fruitcake?
We are humans, so yes we sometimes forget doing stuff and that is totally fine. If you missed soaking the fruits overnight, here is what you may do. Microwave the fruits with the intended liquid (fruit juice or alcohol) for about a minute and then cover, and let it rest for an hour. Now, you can proceed as usual.
Why is make fruitcake sinking in the middle?
Cakes may sink in the middle due to the following reasons:
- Incorrect measurements of ingredients.
- Too much or too little baking powder.
- Using expired baking powder.
- Inaccurate oven temperature
- Repeatedly opening the oven door.
in case of any of the above mistakes, your cake may sink in the middle. To avoid these always use measuring cups and spoons and check for the expiration date of the ingredients. Baking a fruitcake is a process that takes time, avoid being impatient, and checking the cake frequently.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
For the best look, slice the fruitcake with a knife with a serrated edge. You may serve fruitcake slices as it is or with aged sharp cheddar or softened brie.
A fine red wine, champagne, or aperitif also complements well with a rich and moist fruitcake.
STORING SUGGESTIONS
Fruitcakes last longer than most other cakes because they are encrusted with nuts and candied fruits. Keep them tightly wrapped in a foil and store them in airtight containers.
To freeze, wrap the cake in plastic and then in aluminum foil and freeze for up to three months
TRIVIA
Despite its worldwide popularity, fruitcake is not everyone’s favorite holiday treat. Some find them very overbearing.
December 27 is National Fruitcake Day, but did you know that January 7 is Fruitcake Toss Day? Here is an interesting story about this day. A town in Colorado has a unique way of disposing of its unwanted fruitcakes. Every year, Manitou Springs holds a contest to see who could throw their fruitcakes the farthest and with the greatest accuracy. People build catapults, slingshots, or just hurled the cakes by hand. Can you believe it? Outrageous to say the least. Though to make up for all the lost food, everyone competing in this hurling challenge has to bring a donation to the local food bank. So much for getting rid of a fruitcake!
Source: https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/the-secret-history-of-fruitcake
HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup black raisins
- 1/4 cup candied orange peel
- 1/4 cup crystallized ginger
- 1/4 cup pitted dates
- 1/4 cup tutti-frutti
- 1.5 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 5-6 cloves
- 2-inch cinnamon stick
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
- 8-10 allspice berries
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup whole almonds
- 1/4 cup cashew nuts
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- Pre-soaked fruits
Instructions
- Cut the fruits into small chunks and soak in sufficient orange juice (enough to fully cover the fruits) in an airtight jar. Leave it in a cool and dark place. Soak for 2-3 days or at least overnight before you bake the cake.
- Butter the insides of the cake pan, making sure to get into all the corners. Line the pan with parchment paper.
- Grind the cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice berries to a fine powder.
- Grind the almonds to a coarse powder and keep aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it is airy and pale. Mix in the brown sugar and continue beating.
- Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla essence, followed by the ground almond and spice mix. Continue beating until everything is incorporated together.
- Mix in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and fold and mix using a spatula.
- Add the soaked fruits along with the excess juice. Now add the chopped nuts. At this stage, the batter will be too dense. Add the orange juice to thin out the batter a little bit. Mix everything by folding, do not stir violently or overmix.
- Put the batter into your prepared cake pan and level the top with the spatula. Carefully shake the pan to remove the air bubbles.
- Put in a preheated oven at 325F for 1 hr 30 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the cake pan before removing it and cutting it into slices.
Notes:
- Make sure that all your ingredients are at room temperature before you start out to make the cake.
- Be patient as the cake cools after baking. Fruitcake must be completely cool before removing from the pan. This should take about 3 hours.
- Place a pan of water in the oven alongside the fruitcake to ensure a more even and gentle cooking.
- Slice the fruitcake with a serrated bread knife.
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