Golden Brandied Fruitcake Recipe

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Even those who are not especially fond of fruitcake for the Holidays will love this delicious lighter version. This fruit-filled cake recipe is guaranteed to please.

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Servings:

Ingredients

CAKE BATTER
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
6 eggs, separated
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup brandy
2 cups golden raisins
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup chopped, homemade candied orange zest and syrup (see below)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
CANDIED ORANGE ZEST AND SYRUP
1 large orange
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

Container:2 small bundt pans or 2 loaf pans

Directions

PREP

45 mins

COOK

2 hrs

CANDIED ORANGE ZEST AND SYRUP

Wash the orange thoroughly and carefully trim the zest in narrow strips and cut into half inch pieces.
Add the water and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Simmer the mixture until it thickens.
Add the orange zest and turn off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool until it thickens into a syrupy consistency.

CAKE BATTER

Beat the butter until creamy and gradually add the sugar. Continue beating until smooth.
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks and add to the butter and sugar, beating until blended.
Using two additional bowls, combine the flour and salt in one and the milk, vanilla, and brandy in the other. Note: the brandy may be omitted by substituting 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of brandy extract.
Add a small quantity of the flour and salt mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat, then add a small quantity of the milk, vanilla, and brandy mixture and continue beating. Alternating between the two, continue adding the flour and milk mixtures to the butter and sugar until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Stir in the raisins, apricots, walnuts, and the cooled candied orange peel and syrup.
In a separate, clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks are formed.
Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter until blended, but do not over mix.
Pour the batter into two greased and floured pans and bake at 275° F for 2 hours. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
Cool thoroughly and remove from the pans.
Serve after cooling or cover and refrigerate.

OPTIONAL

Place cheesecloth over the cooled cake, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. The fruitcake tastes even better when allowed to rest in the refrigerator for at least several days. Add a splash of brandy over the cheesecloth covered cake every second or third day. The additional brandy is optional, but adds so much flavor.

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