Good Fruitcake Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
1 cup dried mango, chopped
1/2 cup dried blueberries
3/4 cup dried currants
3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried cherries
Zest of one lemon
Zest of one orange
3/4 cup gold rum
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cup unbleached white flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Directions

Feel free to use whatever dried fruits you have in your house. If you would like to gift your friends with fruitcake, divide the batter into smaller bread pans. To complete the gift, pair the loaf with a small block of Stilton blue cheese.

1. In a large bowl, combine candied ginger, dried fruits, orange and lemon zests, and rum. Macerate overnight or for 8 hours.
2. In a heavy bottom pot, pour in dried fruit mixture with rum, and add both sugars, butter, apple juice, milk, and spices. Turn stove on medium high heat and, stirring often, bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 325ºF. Sift dry ingredients, pour into fruit mixture, and stir until well combined. Whisk eggs together in a small bowl, pour eggs into fruit mixture, and stir until well combined. Fold in toasted pecans.
4. Line a 10-inch nonstick loaf pan with parchment paper. Spoon mixture into the pan, and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. If toothpick comes out clean, remove cake from oven. Otherwise, bake in 10-minute increments until cake passes toothpick test. Allow cake to cool completely (about two hours), before turning out from pan. The cake will last for two weeks in an airtight container.

Makes 10 1-inch slices.

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