Free Range Fruitcake

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good EatsEpisode: It's a Wonderful Cake

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (91)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(91)

Cook Time:
--
Level:
Easy
Yield:
10 slices

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Ingredients

1 cup golden raisins
1 cup currants
1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
1/2 cup sun dried blueberries
1/2 cup sun dried cherries
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
1 cup gold rum
1 cup sugar
5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
4 whole cloves, ground
6 allspice berries, ground
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecans, broken
Brandy for basting and/or spritzing

Directions

Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.

Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 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.)

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

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 nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.

Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.

When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Free Range Fruitcake
Jean Shelby Twp, MI 04-12-2009
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Unrealistic expectations, I guess
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

The biggest problem I have with traditional fruitcake is the flavor, not so much the candied fruit (except for citron, yuck).... I was very excited to try this recipe, thinking it would taste different than regular, but It still had that taste that I dislike. That combination of spices is just not for me. No one in my family liked it, not even my husband who will eat anything. I guess fruitcake will never be on our Christmas table. We still love YOU though, Alton!!! Read more
recipe Free Range Fruitcake
Jacklyn Palm Springs, CA 02-13-2009
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Fruitcake
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is a wonderful fruitcake. I don't bake very often, so there were a lot of ingredients I didn't have, including a 10"... loaf pan. After purchasing all ingredients, the cost was $73.00. The cost out weighs the wonderfulness of the cake.Read more
recipe Free Range Fruitcake
Suzanne Kelseyville, CA 01-16-2009
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Awesome!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have used this recipe for the last two years. I do not like fruitcake, but I like this dried fruit cake. Everyone who... has tried it has loved it. My friend from England says it is more like what she was accustomed to as a child. The only change I made was to use orange juice instead of apple juice - only because I did not have any apple juice. Truly a keeper.Read more
recipe Free Range Fruitcake
June Princeton, TX 01-09-2009
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Unbelievable
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I always hated fruit cake because of those yucky jellied cherries. When I watched Alton make this fruit cake I thought "I... could eat this!" It was wonderful. I used spiced rum and already ground spices that I had. I'm sure it would be a lot better with fresh spices, but I was trying to watch the cost. I made it in a square 8x8 pan and it was incredible! Alton you are a genius!! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm make more tonight for my family!Read more
recipe Free Range Fruitcake
null null, null 01-06-2009
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Oh. My. GAWD.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I get tons of recipes online and this is the first one that I've felt compelled to review. I followed the recipe except for... the following modifications: Ground allspice instead of berries, clear rum instead of gold, and while the fruit macerated I added a vanilla bean pod that I'd saved after scraping out the seeds for another recipe. I wrapped it in foil and let it age on top of my refrigerator for three weeks, brushing with brandy every 4-5 days. Served it with marscarpone cheese and bloody marys on NY's day during the Outback Bowl (Go Hawkeyes!). I have a family full of food snobs and they were practically rolling on the floor, writhing with delight. Awesome, awesome recipe. Read more
recipe Free Range Fruitcake
Dianne Surprise, AZ 12-29-2008
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Outstanding fruitcake
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The best fruitcake my husband and I have ever tasted! After watching this episode I had to make this cake. I allowed the... dried fruit to macerate overnight in dark rum rather than golden rum, used fresh spices, except that I added 3/4 tsp ground allspice rather than the directed allspice berries, and eliminated all nuts. After baking, I brushed the cake with brandy a few times in the first week and kept it well covered and refrigerated. Then we had our first bite and were thrilled with the taste of this delicious, moist, not-too-sweet holiday dessert. I could, but I won't, eat the whole cake in one day. Read more