Vox's well-laden Christmas Fruitcake

Here we are in the First Week of Advent. No Christmas decorations up yet, we'll leave that for after the Fourth Sunday but it is time to begin some of the preparations. I love Christmas, always have; and I love fruitcake. Is that weird or something? What is it about fruitcake that prompts so much derision? I think I know, lousy, dry, overly sweet fruitcake mass-produced and bought in a grocery store.

Now, what about making your own? It's not that hard and this recipe is one which I've used and modified here and there. Note that except for orange peel, there is no candied fruit with all that added liquid invert sugar. As a tip, when making Christmas Pudding or mincemeat that requires candied fruit, soak it in water from the kettle for a few minutes to melt off the gooey syrup and sugar. Just use the brown sugar of your recipe to sweeten it and not all that chemical stuff.

One word of caution. Do not cover the pot while it's cooking. I did the first year and the alcohol escaped all at once with the steam. Yes, I lost part of my eyebrows!

So, here it is, enjoy.

1 cup chopped dried apricots                                

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped dried pineapple                  

1 cup chopped pitted prunes

1 cup yellow raisins                                    

1 cup Thompson raisins

½ cup candied orange peel                                   

½ cup chopped dried figs

1 cup spring water

½ cup dark rum                                                     

½ cup brandy

½ cup port                                                               

½ cup Cointreau

1/2 cup filtered water

1 teaspoon bitters                                                   

1- 3 inch cinnamon stick

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon                            

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg                      

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1½ cups Demerara sugar                          

¼ teaspoon salt      

1 cup softened, unsalted butter               

4 large eggs, beaten

1½ cups self-rising flour                                       

1-teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine fruit in a large pot.  Stir in rum brandy, port, Cointreau, water and bitters.   Add cinnamon stick, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and salt.  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.  Remove the fruit mixture to a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let sit for five days tossing it once a day. 

Prepare cake pans.  This is a large amount of cake and will fill 4 loaf pans or 2 – 8-inch square pans.  Butter pans and line with parchment paper. 

Preheat oven to 275. F.  Beat together butter and sugar until well mixed.  Gradually beat in eggs a little at a time, adding some of the flour if the mixture starts to curdle. 

Stir in the remaining flour.  Add fruit mixture with liquid to flour and egg mixture.  You may want to use your hands.  Spoon into prepared pans and smooth the surface.  Loosely cover top with a double layer of parchment paper.  Bake for about 2 hours for small [pans and up to 3 hours for large ones.  Test with a toothpick.  It should come out clean although the cake will be quite moist in center. 

Cool pans on rack.  Un-mould and wrap with foil.  Do not cut for at least three days.