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Old Fashioned Fruitcake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.1 from 69 reviews

This Old Fashioned Fruitcake is a classic holiday dessert, rich with pecans, dates, and colorful candied fruits. Slow-baked at a low temperature with steam to retain its moist texture, this cake pools together traditional flavors enhanced by a touch of vanilla or your choice of rum, bourbon, or brandy. Perfectly spiced and textured, this recipe yields a dense, flavorful fruitcake that serves 20, ideal for festive occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Nuts & Fruits

  • 1 pound pecans
  • 1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1/2 pound candied cherries (red and green)
  • 1/2 pound candied pineapple (red and green or yellow)

Dry Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon rum, bourbon, or brandy

Other

  • Cooking spray
  • Wax paper or parchment paper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven: Set your oven to 250°F (121°C) to ensure a very gentle, slow baking process, essential for the perfect fruitcake texture.
  2. Prepare steam bath: Place a shallow pan filled one-third with boiling water on the lower oven rack. This will generate steam during baking to keep the cake moist.
  3. Maintain water level: Throughout baking, check and refill the pan with hot water as needed to maintain steam.
  4. Prep baking pans: Spray two 9-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line them with wax or parchment paper. Also, spray the paper lightly to prevent sticking.
  5. Chop fruits and nuts: Finely chop the dates and pecans so they distribute evenly throughout the batter.
  6. Combine dry ingredients with fruits: In a large bowl, add the chopped dates and nuts. Sift sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt over the fruit mixture, then mix everything thoroughly with your hands for better integration.
  7. Add wet ingredients: Beat the eggs until light and fluffy, then stir in the vanilla extract or your chosen alcohol. Pour this mixture over the fruit and dry ingredients, mixing well—using your hands may help to meld everything evenly.
  8. Fill pans: Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans, pressing down gently to remove air pockets for a dense, uniform cake.
  9. Bake: Place the filled loaf pans on the oven rack above the steam pan and bake at 250°F for 1 hour and 45 minutes, allowing the fruitcake to cook slowly and evenly.
  10. Cool: Remove from oven and allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans before removing.

Notes

  • Low and slow baking with steam is critical to keep the fruitcake moist and prevent it from drying out.
  • You can substitute the vanilla extract with 1 tablespoon of rum, bourbon, or brandy for a richer flavor.
  • Ensure to refill the water pan during baking to maintain a humid baking environment.
  • Pressing batter into the pans helps to avoid air bubbles, which can affect texture.
  • Fruitcake can be wrapped and stored for several weeks for flavors to deepen if desired.

Keywords: Old fashioned fruitcake, holiday dessert, pecan fruitcake, fruit cake recipe, traditional fruitcake, steamed fruitcake

Find it online: https://foodiecara.com/old-fashioned-fruitcake-recipe/