Traditional Christmas Fruitcake with Spiced Glaze
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, sultanas, and chopped glacé cherries)
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 cup dark rum or brandy (plus extra for feeding)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/4 cup molasses
- For the Glaze: 1/2 cup apricot jam, 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the dried fruits with the rum or brandy. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it soak for at least 24 hours. This ensures the fruit is plump and adds deep flavor to the cake. Stir occasionally if possible.
- Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease a 9-inch deep round cake pan and line the bottom and sides with a double layer of parchment paper. The double layer helps prevent the edges from burning during the long bake time.
- In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture looks like it is curdling, add a tablespoon of flour. Stir in the molasses until the batter is a consistent dark color.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the soaked fruit (including any remaining liquid) and the chopped nuts using a large spatula. Ensure the fruit is evenly distributed throughout the thick batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 3 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil after 2 hours.
- While the cake cools slightly in the pan, combine the apricot jam, orange juice, cinnamon, and cloves in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the jam melts and the mixture becomes a smooth liquid. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a perfectly clear glaze.
- Brush the warm spiced glaze generously over the top of the warm cake. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before removing it. This helps the glaze set and the flavors to settle.