I KNOW, I know not everyone likes fruitcake and fruitcake has gotten a bad name over the years. Some even say that fruitcake is the culinary equivalent of receiving socks for Christmas. BUT, if you are willing to try it, this fruitcake will put all that to rest. This is my new go to recipe. I took all the parts from all my other fruitcake recipes and concocted this one. I have since tossed ALL the other recipes.
This fruitcake CANNOT be used as a doorstop because it is so moist, light and fluffy too. Nor will this fruitcake will last long enough to be passed around and down through the years because it is so flavorful. This picture doesn’t do it any justice, but trust me it is SOOOOOO GOOD!
1/2 cup finely chopped candied red cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped candied green cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped candied lemon
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
1 cup golden raisins
2+ tablespoons coconut rum*
2+ tablespoons brandy*
2+ tablespoons spiced apple moonshine*
- Toss fruit pieces together with the alcohol and soak for 24 hours. The fruit will soak up the alcohol and make an ooey gooey yummy mess. You can soak for up to a week, adding more of your favorite alcohol each day 😀
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup AP flour
- Toss nut pieces with the flour.
- Toss nut mixture with the ooey gooey fruit mess mixture.
- Set aside.
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons QUALITY cinnamon
1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
- Set aside.
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups finely granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups applesauce ***
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- Grease and flour a 10 tube pan.**
- Cream the butter.
- Add the sugar and blend until uniform in color.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the applesauce and vanilla until well blended.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until well blended.
- Fold in fruit and nut mixture until uniform in consistency.
- Spoon into prepared pan(s) of your choice.
- Bake 60-65 minutes or until tester comes out clean. If using many smaller pans or papers be sure and spray them well and begin checking at the 30 minute mark for doneness.
- Cool for 15 minutes on wire rack BEFORE inverting or removing from pan!
NOTES
- *Change up the flavor choice of your liking.
- ** I like to use many little loaf pans or paper rounds when I make this recipe for neighbor gifts.
- ***This year I substituted a walnut fig rum for all the other alcohols and was out of applesauce and substituted a jar of pumpkin apple butter and think it was even better!
Original posting December 24, 2016 – updated December 26, 2024
