This moist, dark fruitcake is loaded with real dried fruits—pineapple, apricots, dates, golden raisins, and candied cherries—none of the icky candied peel. It stays fresh for 6–8 weeks when brushed with spirits and wrapped tightly.
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To prepare the fruit: Combine the fruit with the liquid of your choice in a non-reactive bowl; cover and let rest overnight. Too impatient to wait until tomorrow? Microwave everything for 1 minute (or until it's very hot), cover, and let rest 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. This recipe makes enough batter for ONE (not all!) of the following: 3 dozen individual (muffin pan) cakes; 16 mini loaves (about 3 3/4" x 2 1/2"); 6 to 8 medium loaves (about 3" x 5"); or 2 standard 9" x 5" loaves. Choose your pans (or combinations), and lightly grease them. If you're making muffin-size cakes in a standard muffin pan, line the pan with muffin papers, and lightly grease the papers.
To make the batter: Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl (at least 6-quart), and beat together until well combined.
Beat in the salt, spices, and baking powder.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and cocoa.
Add the flour mixture and the syrup (or boiled cider) to the mixture in the bowl, beating gently to combine.
Stir in the juice or water, then the fruit (including any additional liquid that has collected in the bowl), and the nuts. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and stir until everything is well combined.
Spoon the batter into the pans, filling them about 3/4 full.
Bake the cakes on the middle shelf of the oven, as follows: about 60 minutes for the individual cakes; 65 to 70 minutes for the small loaves; 75 minutes for the medium loaves, and 2 hours + 10 to 15 minutes for the 9" x 5" loaves. The cakes are done when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven. Fruitcake can remain in its pan for storage, if desired. Or carefully remove cake from the pan after about 5 minutes, loosening its edges first.
Brush the warm cake with rum, brandy, simple syrup, or flavored simple syrup (vanilla, rum-flavored, etc.). If you like just a hint of rum or brandy flavor, add 1 tablespoon of liquor to 3/4 cup vanilla syrup or simple syrup, and brush this mixture on the cakes. (This keeps them moist for weeks; you can skip this step, but they won't stay moist long-term.)
When the cakes are completely cool, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and store at room temperature for up to 6 to 8 weeks.
Wrap cooled, brushed cakes tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 6–8 weeks. Cakes not brushed with spirits should be used within 1–2 weeks.
stand mixer (helpful for creaming butter and sugar) · large mixing bowl (at least 6-quart capacity) · loaf pans, mini loaf pans, or muffin pans (depending on desired shape) · cake tester or toothpick
Yes. Wrap cooled, brushed cakes tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 6–8 weeks. Brush with rum, brandy, or syrup while warm to keep them moist long-term.
The recipe calls for about 2½ pounds total dried fruit. Swap in cranberries, figs, prunes, or dried cherries for any of the suggested fruits; keep the total weight the same.
Yes. The single batch makes enough for 3 dozen muffin-size individual cakes (bake ~60 minutes), 16 mini loaves (65–70 minutes), 6–8 medium loaves (75 minutes), or 2 standard 9"×5" loaves (2 hours 10–15 minutes).
No. Use apple juice, cranberry juice, simple syrup, vanilla syrup, or ginger syrup instead. Even without brushing, the cake is moist during baking; brushing just extends storage to 6–8 weeks.
Low, slow heat prevents the outside from overbaking while the dense, fruit-heavy center cooks through. At 300°F, a 9"×5" loaf takes 2 hours 10–15 minutes and emerges moist and tender.
