Festive foods: Fruitcake

Nothing says Christmas like fruitcake, or at least in my mind, as this classic holiday loaf has decorated my Christmas table since childhood Christmas dinners spend at my grandmother’s house, where the only thing I liked better was her shortbread (wait for it, that’ll be coming later!). Fruitcake is a cake made with chopped nuts, candied fruits, spices, and soaked in liquor (of course, this step is optional). Unless it is for religious beliefs, I would suggest soaking the cake in sherry, as this adds a wonderful richness of flavour to the cake, which would seem lacking without it. Generally, because of this rich taste, the cake is served without cream or other toppings, although in the United Kingdom it has become custom to ice or decorate the cake in some way (like my grandmother before me, I top my cake with marzipan). If you’re planning on soaking your fruitcake in sherry, its best to make the cake at least a month in advance, to allow time for the flavours to soak in.

And now, without further ado, I present to you the Morris family recipe for Dark Fruitcake, thanks to my grandma;

Wash the following then combine in a large bowl:

1.5 lbs raisins

1 lb currants

Add:

1/2 lb dates, chopped

1/4 lb candied cherries

1 c. candied ginger, chopped

1/2 lb candied pineapple

1/2 lb mixed peel and fruit

1/2 lb halfed walnuts

Pour 1/2 c. grape juice concentrate,  1/2 c. water, and 1/3 c. strong coffee over the fruit and nuts, mixing well. Let sit overnight.

Cream 1 c. butter/margarine with 1 c. sugar, then beat in 5 eggs one at a time.

Combine 1 c. flour with the fruit.

In another bowl, sift together 2 c. flour, 1.5 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. allspice. Add to the batter, stir, then pour over the fruit. Make sure to mix it well until the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed.

Grease loaf pans (two or three will do), and fill them approximately 2/3 full.

Bake the cakes at 300 F for 2.5-3 hours.

Check with a toothpick to see if they are done, then remove them from the oven and let them cool before removing them from their pans. Place the cakes on the cheesecloth, in a plastic bag which is open, and pour about a quarter c. of sherry over each cake, wrap them up in the cheesecloth, and tie up the bag, ensuring none of the sherry “escapes.” Store the cakes in a cool dry place, like a basement, and check them once a week to see if they’re dry. If so, add a little more sherry to keep them moistened.

If you want to try topping your cakes with marzipan, stay tune for the part two of my fruitcake blog, which will be coming closer to Christmas!