It's that time of the year. By now, if you're going to be making Fruit Cakes for Christmas, you need to start baking them or at the very least figuring getting all your ingredients ready to go. The sooner you make them, the better they turn out.
I actually made my first in October, and today I made another two. I'm using a completely different recipe, one which I got from one of my favorite vloggers Helen from Wright At Home on Youtube.
This is her grandmother's recipe, and I truly believe that the best recipes are those handed down from generation to generation. Too often I see people trying to create shortcuts or substitute this for that ingredient in an attempt to make things more glamorous, but it doesn't always turn out well. It's been my experience that the simplest of ingredients and the simplest of recipes are often the best ones.
This was my first time using Helen's recipe, and I think it may just become my go to and favorite for the holidays.
Christmas Fruit Cake
Source: Helen Wright
200 gr flour
200 gr butter
200 gr sugar (I used half light brown sugar and half white)
4 eggs
800 gr fruit
half tbsp salt
4 tbsp spice and cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped cherries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients, until well incorporated. I used my kitchenaid which made it easier to mix everything.
Line a cake pan. The recipe didn't specify the size, but I used a round 8 inch pan for mine. Make sure to line the bottom and sides of the pan. Most fruit cakes require you to then wrap the pan in newspaper or brown paper and tie it, but this recipe didn't say to do that.
I was wondering if it would affect the bake, but it didn't and it baked up beautifully.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for one hour and a half to two hours. The cake is ready when you insert a wooden skewer and it comes out completely dry. Helen actually makes it a point to say that is what her grandmother used to say, so it needs to be absolutely dry which will help it keep for a long time once it's out of the oven.
Once baked, removed from oven and allow to cool completely, then poke holes with a wooden skewer and pour over either whiskey, brandy or rum.
I use rum in my cakes, that's our preference. There really is no measurement but if you need to measure then I would say about 2 tablespoons or so.
Allow it soak in, then double wrap the cake in saran plastic wrap, then double layer of aluminum foil. You can keep the cakes in a tupperware cake box, or as they are, but keep them out of sunlight and in a dark spot. I keep my cakes in the pantry.
Every week, until Christmas, unwrap them and feed them again with more drink of your choice. These cakes will keep for a really long time.
Enjoy :)
