Winter
Linda Olle's Dark Fruitcake
- Serves 10-12
Author Notes
This fruit cake was the winner of the First Annual Fruitcake Redemption Contest. It comes from a 19th century Scottish recipe. —Food52
What You'll Need
Ingredients
-
Zest of one orange
-
1 cup
sultanas or golden raisins
-
2 1/2 cups
raisins
-
1/2 cup
dried currants or Zante currants
-
1 cup
1 T Spanish brandy -
3/4 cup
2 T flour -
1/2 teaspoon
grated nutmeg
-
1/4 teaspoon
salt
-
1/2 teaspoon
ground mace
-
1 teaspoon
cinnamon
-
1/2 teaspoon
baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon
clove or allspice
-
1 teaspoon
ground ginger
-
1/2 cup
butter
-
1/2 cup
sugar
-
1/2 cup
dark Muscovado sugar or brown sugar
-
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
3
large eggs
-
2 tablespoons
molasses
-
powdered sugar
Directions
- In a bowl, combine the orange zest, sultanas, raisins, currants, and 1 cup of brandy. Cover with plastic wrap or a tightly fitting lid and allow to steep overnight, stirring from time to time.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Coat a loaf pan or 9-inch round pan with butter. Combine the soused fruit with 2 tablespoons of flour. In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, nutmeg, salt, mace, cinnamon, and baking soda. In yet another bowl, whisk together the butter, sugars, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 tablespoon of brandy and the molasses. Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture until completely combined.
- Strain the fruits from any brandy that hasn't been absorbed and add them into the batter. Stir to evenly disperse, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the fruit cake is completely done inside. Allow to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.
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