This fruitcake is a moist, rum-soaked cake full of dried fruits and nuts. It's easy to make and sure to be a hit with your family and friends. There's no glowing, candied fruit in this cake, and this version is less dense and more cake-like than typical fruitcake recipes. It's delicious by itself, or covered with a thin layer of almond paste.
Ingredients
- cranberries: 0.25 cup (dried)
- currants: 0.25 cup (dried)
- dried cherries: 0.125 cup (chopped)
- dried mango: 0.125 cup (chopped)
- candied citron: 0.125 cup (chopped)
- dark rum: 0.25 cup
- cooking spray:
- unsalted butter: 0.5 cup (softened)
- packed brown sugar: 0.25 cup
- egg: 1 piece
- all-purpose flour: 0.5 cup
- salt: 0.25 tsp
- ground cinnamon: 0.25 tsp
- baking soda: 0.125 tsp
- unsulfured molasses: 0.25 cup
- milk: 2 Tbsp
- pecans: 0.25 cup (chopped)
- dark rum: 6 Tbsp (or more if needed)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Soak the fruit: Place cranberries, currants, cherries, mango, and citron into a medium bowl and stir to combine. Pour in rum and mix again. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
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When ready to make the fruitcake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cut a 6-inch circle of parchment paper. Spray a 6x3-inch round pan with cooking spray. Place the parchment circle in the bottom of the pan, and spray it with cooking spray.
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Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg until incorporated.
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Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with molasses, beating batter briefly after each addition.
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Stir in soaked fruit and pecans. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
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Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
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While the fruitcake is baking, cut one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake.
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Remove fruitcake from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then drizzle 2 tablespoons rum over top.
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Moisten the cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Place it on top of the parchment paper, and unmold fruitcake onto it. Brush the top and sides of fruitcake with remaining 3 tablespoons rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with the parchment paper.
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Transfer the wrapped fruitcake to airtight container or tin. Seal the container and let age at room temperature for at least 10 weeks before serving. Natalia Titanov
