Description
This Old-Fashioned German Fruit Cake is a rich, moist dessert bursting with a traditional blend of dried fruits and nuts, spiced with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Perfect for holiday celebrations or any festive occasion, this cake is baked to golden perfection and can be enhanced with a touch of spiced rum or brandy for an authentic flavor experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon molasses
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Fruits and Nuts
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup candied cherries, halved
- ½ cup chopped candied pineapple
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan or alternatively, two 9×5-inch loaf pans to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This usually takes several minutes of thorough mixing.
- Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the creamed butter and sugar, beating well after each addition to ensure even distribution and a smooth batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. This ensures the spices and leavening agents are evenly incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the orange juice and molasses. Stir gently until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cake.
- Prepare Fruits and Nuts: Toss the chopped nuts and all dried and candied fruits with 2 tablespoons of flour. This step helps to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake batter during baking.
- Fold Fruits and Nuts In: Gently fold the floured nuts and fruits into the batter until evenly distributed, taking care not to overmix.
- Fill Pans and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s), smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Optional Aging: For a traditional touch, brush the cooled cake with spiced rum or brandy and wrap it tightly in cheesecloth. Let it rest for several days to enhance the flavors before serving.
Notes
- Brushing the finished cake with spiced rum or brandy and wrapping it in cheesecloth while it rests intensifies the traditional fruitcake flavor.
- The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and the type of pan used; check doneness with a toothpick.
- Store the cake tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to a week or refrigerate for longer shelf life.
- Chopping the fruits into uniform sizes helps distribute them evenly throughout the cake.
