based on Alton Brown’s Free Range Fruitcake
Ingredients
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup currants
½ cup sun dried cranberries
½ cup sun dried blueberries
½ cup sun dried cherries
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
¼ cup crystallized ginger, minced
1 cup gold rum
1 cup sugar
5 oz unsalted butter (1¼ sticks)
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
4 whole cloves, ground
6 allspice berries, ground
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp kosher salt
1¾ cups all purpose flour
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
¼ to ½ cup toasted pecans, broken
brandy for basting and/or spraying
Directions
Combine dried fruits, crystallized ginger and both zests in a sealable container. Add rum, cover, and set aside to macerate overnight.
Place fruit and liquid in a 3½ quart saucepan then add sugar, butter, apple juice, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper, thoroughly combine. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 30-45 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)
Preheat oven to 325° and place a pan of water on the lower rack.
Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in pecans. Pour/scrape into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan or divided equally among appropriately sized smaller pans. For easier removal after baking, line loaf pan lengthwise with parchment paper that extends a few inches from each end.
Transfer to the middle rack of a preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. Internal temperature should reach 200°.
Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Immediately baste or generously spray top with brandy while still very hot. Allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
Wrap in several layers of cheesecloth, dampen with brandy, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and seal in an airtight, food safe container. Open foil and cheesecloth then brush or spray with brandy every 2 or 3 days if needed and let it age for at least 2 weeks. The flavor will enhance considerably during that time.
Refrigerate remaining fruitcake after serving. If gifting, remove cheesecloth and place fruitcake into appropriate pan then wrap in plastic.
Note: Even a well-preserved fruitcake can go bad. You may notice it’s hard and dry, especially if the alcohol-soaking process wasn’t as thorough as it should have been. If you see any mold on if the cake, if it appears slimy or mushy, or if there is a rotten smell or sour taste, don’t take any chances and throw the cake away. Eating fruitcake contaminated with bacteria can cause food poisoning.