World’s BEST Fruitcake

Pre-Soak Dried Fruit

1 and 1/4th cups golden raisins

1 and 1/4th cups dark raisins

2 cups unsweetened dried fruit ( I used dried apricots and marjoram oranges)

1 cup dried unsweetened figs, chopped

1 cup dried unsweetened cherries

3/4th cup dried unsweetened prunes (I didn’t have prunes so I used double the figs)

3/4th cups dark rum

1/4th cup Orange liquor

SOAK all of the above for at least 24 hours, and up to a week in the rum and liquor.

Cake:

In a small bowl COMBINE:

1 1/2 cup of pastry flour

1/2 teas. baking powder

1 teas. ground cinnamon

1 teas. ground ginger

1/4 teas. nutmeg

1 teas. salt

In a larger mixing bowl BEAT until fluffy:

1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)

3/4th cups light brown sugar

5 eggs

Then ADD:

1 Tablespoon each of orange zest and lemon zest grated fresh from the fruit

1/2 cup of pure orange juice

1 pealed and grated green apple

3/4th cup slivered almonds (or pecans)

3 Tablespoons of thinly sliced dried crystallized ginger.

and the pre-soaked fruit mixture and the small bowl of flour mixture

STIR well

Put into 2 loaf pans that have been lightly greased and covered in parchment paper

BAKE 300 for 1 hour and half

WHEN completely cooled:

soak cheesecloth in Sherry or Triple sec, wring out, and wrap bread, and then cover in wax paper. Store at room temperature for a month if using right away, or tuck away in the freezer for the Holidays, to bring out a little at a time.

If you’re like me, you like to bake in advance and have things ready for guest when they pop in over the Holiday. THIS is one of my favorites.