Fruit Cake (or fruitcake) sometimes gets a bad rap. Those doorstopper hard as rocks cakes with bright, florescent cherries that gets re-gifted every year passed around at every while elephant party…
A Fruitcake monster!
But there is great fruit cake, too! Like my holiday favorite “Over 21” Real Fruit Cakes made with Maker’s Mark! I love a slice in the morning with a great cup of coffee.
These REAL fruit cakes are fully loaded with Maker’s Mark-soaked dried fruits, including apricots, cranberries, tart cherries, and golden raisins, as well as loads of nuts from toasted hazelnuts to rich pecans – all bound with a signature spiced batter recipe. Baked till golden then brushed over and over with a bourbon-brown sugar glaze. Now this is fruitcake – a REAL FRUIT cake.
So if you have a fruit cake fan on your Holiday Gift List or want to be a fruit cake convert, I have you covered. You can order them online for delivery or pick them up at the Food Studios in Ballard.
Quantities are limited so be sure to place your orders soon because they sell out FAST!
Wishing you all a real fruit cake filled holiday season! -Kathy
“Over 21” Bourbon Fruit Cake
Makes 6 mini-loaves
1 cup chopped dried pineapple
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 1/2 cups tart dried cherries
1 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup currants
1 1/4 cups chopped dried mango
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened (very important!)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. orange zest
2 tsp. lemon zest
6 eggs
1/4 cup bourbon
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup whole almonds
Bourbon Glaze
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup bourbon
In a large bowl toss together the dried fruits then pour the boiling water over the fruit and toss again. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 24 hours at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl whip the butter (be sure it’s super-softened!) on medium-high speed with the white and brown sugars for about 4 minutes or until fluffy. Add the molasses and then the vanilla and zests. On medium speed add 1 egg at a time, beating 1 minute between each addition. Mix in bourbon. Mixture should be whipped until it is smooth and silky.
In a sifter combine flour and spices. Remove bowl from mixer and sift in dry ingredients, folding into egg mixture until well incorporated.
Separately, in a very large bowl mix together plumped fruits and nuts. Add cake batter and fold into the fruit and nuts until well coated.
Divide mixture (about 1 1/2 cups each) among 6 buttered, nonstick mini-loaf pans (6-inch x 3-inch x 2-inch) or disposable aluminum mini-loaf pans. Smooth out batter, then bang each pan on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Place pans on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 – 55 minutes or until set and cooked through.
Meanwhile make the Bourbon Glaze: In a very small saucepan combine the water and brown sugar and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute, remove from the heat, and cool to room temperature. Then whisk in the bourbon.
When cakes come out of the oven, remove from pan and place bottom up on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. With a pastry brush, brush the Bourbon Glaze liberally on the bottom and sides of cakes while still warm. Do this quite a few times. Then turn cakes top side up and brush with more of the glaze. Keep brushing with glaze on all surfaces every 20 minutes or so until all of the glaze is used up. Cover cakes with plastic wrap and let sit overnight.
To wrap cakes: Wrap each cake individually with plastic wrap, then wrap in parchment paper. Seal with Christmas stickers and ribbon or raffia and baubles. If desired, write recipe name, baker and date on outside wrapper with a fine permanent marker or metallic pen.
Store cake at room temperature until ready to give.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com
