Fruitcake doused in liquor regularly will keep for months.
Fruit cake combines dried fruits and nuts with enough batter to cover them. In Europe during the 1700s, farmers baked cakes at the end of the nut harvest, which were saved to be eaten the next year at the beginning of the next nut harvest, in hopes of a successful harvest. This version, with no nuts, uses additional fruit. Wrap it in cloth and foil, saturate with alcohol, and keep in a tightly closed tin to enjoy for months to come. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Boil fruits in wine gently for 20 minutes or soak them for three weeks prior to baking.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
4. Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl.
5. Beat in eggs, then combine with rum (if desired), vanilla, almond extract, lime zest and lime juice.
6. Fold in dried fruit, molasses and wine. Instead of adding nuts as you would for many fruitcakes, this recipe compensates by including extra dried fruit.
7. Sift or mix together flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and baking powder.
8. Blend dry ingredients carefully with wet ingredients, taking care not to over mix.
9. Pour the mix into greased and floured pans.
10. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes. Test that it's done by inserting a toothpick or knife in the center. When it comes out clean, the cake is done.
11. Cool for 10 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Tags: dried fruit