Homemade fruit cake

Ingredients

For the fruit mixture:

• 2 cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, chopped dates, currants, chopped dried apricots)
• ½ cup candied cherries (optional)
• ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
• ½ cup orange juice (or rum/brandy for a boozy version)
• Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

For the cake batter:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients

1. Soak the Fruit:
   • In a large bowl, combine dried fruits, candied cherries, chopped nuts, orange juice, and citrus zest.
   • Cover and let soak for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
2. Prepare the Oven & Pan:
   • Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
   • Grease and line a 9-inch loaf pan or an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
3. Make the Cake Batter:
   • In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
   • Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   • Stir in vanilla extract.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients:
   • In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
   • Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet batter, mixing until just combined.
5. Fold in the Fruit:
   • Drain any excess liquid from the soaked fruit (if needed) and fold the fruit mixture into the batter.
6. Bake:
   • Spoon batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
   • Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
   • Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
7. Optional Glaze (if not using alcohol):
   • Brush the top with a warm mixture of apricot jam and water for a glossy finish.
8. Aging (Optional):
   • For traditional fruit cake aging, wrap the cooled cake in cheesecloth soaked in brandy or rum, then wrap in foil and store in an airtight container. Re-soak the cloth weekly and age for up to 4–6 weeks.

Let me know if you’d like a gluten-free or egg-free version!