Old Fashioned Fruit Cake
Old Fashioned Fruit Cake combines sultana raisins, currants, dates, candied citrus peel, cherries, walnuts, and almonds into a dense, flavorful loaf. The batter includes warm spices like allspice and cinnamon, enriched with butter, sugar, eggs, grape juice, and optionally dark rum for soaking. Baked slowly and aged wrapped in rum-soaked cheesecloth, the cake develops a rich texture and deep fruit flavor over time. This fruit cake is a classic holiday offering favored for its moist crumb and festive mix of dried fruits and nuts.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces sultana raisins
- 4 ounces currants dried
- 4 ounces candied citrus peel chopped
- 4 ounces dates chopped, pitted
- 8 ounces candied cherries roughly chopped, red and/or green
- 4 ounces walnuts chopped
- 1 ounce almonds chopped, blanched
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter unsalted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg
- 2 tablespoons grape juice
- 4 ounces dark rum optional
Instructions
- Place all chopped fruits and nuts in a medium bowl. Stir to combine
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, allspice, and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add grape juice.
- Add dry ingredients a bit at a time, mixing after each addition. Fold in the fruit mixture.
- Line two 8-inch x 4-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Fill the cake pans and bake for 70-80 minutes or until evenly browned.
- Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pan for 45 minutes. Lift out of the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Soak two pieces of cheesecloth with rum and wrap around each loaf. Cover, and let sit for at least a week. Repeat the process if desired. The cake may also be served plain.
Notes
- Wrap the cooled fruit cake tightly with rum-soaked cheesecloth and store in a cool place for at least one week to enhance flavor and moisture.
- Keep the fruit cake refrigerated tightly wrapped; it can be stored for up to 3 months in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 2 loaves
Amount Per Serving
Calories 570
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 570 | 29% |
| Carbohydrates | 98g | 33% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 74mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 124mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 696mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 47g | 94% |
| Vitamin A | 378IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 86mg | 9% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.