How to Make a Delicious Fruitcake

Posted by Gwen Watson on Dec 11, 2015

Let’s face it – fruitcake doesn’t exactly have the best reputation. Have you had bad experiences with bad-tasting fruitcake? You need a recipe that is just as delicious as it is decadent. This recipe is one of our favorites.

Delicious Fruitcake Recipe

Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole candied cherries
• 3 cups diced candied pineapple
• 1 pound shelled walnuts
• 10 ounces golden raisins
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add the cherries, pineapple pieces, walnuts, and golden raisins to a large bowl. Stir gently with a wooden spoon and set aside.

Add shortening and sugar to a large-sized mixing bowl. Set an electric mixer to medium speed and cream together until mixture is fluffy and has a light, airy texture. Add the eggs one at a time and beat on medium speed. Add the vanilla and continue beating until the mixture is smooth.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a smaller bowl. Gently whisk together and then slowly add to the shortening mixture. Stir well using a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Pour over the bowl of dried fruit and stir gently until all the fruit is coated with batter.

Spray a 10 inch-size tube pan with cooking spray. Add the fruitcake batter to the pan and pat down with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Bake for 2 hours in the center of the oven, or until a toothpick that has been inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for ten minutes. Gently remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to let it cool all the way through. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in a cool, dry place before serving.

Variations:

Rum-Soaked Fruitcake. Prepare the fruitcake recipe listed above. Just before serving, add about ½ – 1 cup spiced rum to a shallow dish and place fruitcake in the dish. Let soak for about 10 minutes before turning the cake over and letting it soak on the other side.

Tropical Fruitcake. Prepare the recipe listed above. Omit the candied cherries and use 1 ½ cups each of dried mango and dried papaya pieces.

Fruit and Pecan Cake. Prepare the recipe listed above. Omit the walnuts and use pecans instead.

Nutty Fruitcake. Prepare the recipe according to the instructions listed above. Omit 1 cup of the pineapple pieces and 1 cup of the candied cherries and add 2 cups of slivered almonds.

Berry Fruitcake. Prepare the recipe listed above. Use dark raisins in place of golden raisins. Omit the dried pineapple pieces and use dried cranberries instead.