Notice the 1-gallon container for macerating the dried fruit, candied fruit, and pecans. It’s actually a jar I saved about 40 years ago that originally contained dill pickles. Never throw a one-gallon jar away. They store cookies and other assorted items that you want to keep airtight or keep something like spare silverware clean.

The finished product.

Well, in keeping with my decision to post my list of personal favorite edibles (by category) and re-publish some of my favorite recipes, I offer my previously posted recipe for Holiday Fruitcake. I also have a wonderful recipe for Caribbean Black Fruitcake on site, but this year I decided to make this fruitcake for gifts and to set aside for the year to come. (I love to bring out a fruitcake on a trailer trip, for example, because for us and our friends, fruitcake is a favorite treat.)

I hadn’t decided to start with fruitcake with my re-posting project because I am well aware that there are those among us who think fruitcake is a dreary dry brick-like- cake containing icky tasting candied fruit and burnt raisins. (That would be me from my grandmother’s fruitcake.) And, that there are people who still believe that anyone who actually likes fruitcake has a mental deficiency. I get that, because I too felt that way until about three decades ago when someone gave us a fabulous fruitcake they had purchased at great expense. And OMG, it was the best thing I had ever tasted.

Well, you know me! I immediately went to work developing a fruitcake recipe that would result in a fruitcake that was as good or maybe even better than the one we had been gifted. And I came up with this recipe.

But the real reason I am posting this recipe today, is because yesterday I fulfilled the first requirement in preparing this recipe. I filled a one-gallon glass container (as witnessed by picture above) with dried fruit, candied fruit, pecans, and 3 cups of spiced rum. This delightful assembly of ingredients would then spend the next few days being periodically turned upside down so every single tasty morel could become good friends with Captain Morgan. (See picture of Captain Morgan above.)

After I finished this hour and a half of cutting and chopping fruit and nuts, I went back to my computer and decided to see what was happening on Facebook.

OK, I’m not a woo-woo kind of gal. But right there on “Your Memories on Facebook” was my post from December 1, 2009, containing only the following words on my post: “One gallon of fruit and nuts soaking in 3 cups of spiced rum on my counter. I wonder what it will be when it grows up? Fruitcake perhaps?”

Now if that’s not a less than subtle hint from the beyond to post this recipe today, I don’t know what else it could be. Coincidence? I think not!

But in all reality, this is the perfect time to remind people that a) fruitcake can be amazingly delicious, b) fruitcake makes a perfect Christmas gift (but only to those we truly love), and c) if you are going to make fruitcake, now is the time. Because fruitcake only gets better the longer it is allowed to “ripen”. In fact, I should have started this process about 2 months ago. But I have yet to even think about making fruitcake before the first of December. I do, after all, have a life outside the kitchen!

But starting this year, I’m adding one more step to my original recipe. After the baked fruitcakes have cooled, and before I package them, I am going to poke holes in the top with a toothpick, and slowly slather (using a pastry brush) on more of the Captain’s finest. Not too much rum to make a soggy mess. But I believe this will give the fruitcake even more flavor (ya think?) and help its taste and texture to better resemble a fruitcake that has been allowed to age longer. That’s the plan at least.

Well, that’s it for today. I hope you too have plans for the holidays that include some homemade gifts. Our dear friend Vicki has the whole Christmas giving thing down pat. She always includes homemade jams, curds, stollen, and various and sundry other edibles that make her packages a real treat to receive.

And for me, giving is the real secret to enjoying Christmas. It’s not about receiving. It’s about the joy you can bring someone else by thoughtful and from-the-heart gifts. So, please don’t feel you must provide expensive gifts to your loved ones. Or that homemade gifts would be less appreciated than something purchased. In my humble opinion, homemade gifts best exemplify the spirit of Christmas.

So, happy yummy fruitcake to everyone and to all – peace and love.

1 lb. chopped dried fruit combination (peaches, pears, apricots, apples, golden raisins, currents, etc.)

½ lb. dried Bing cherries

1 lb. chopped dates

1 lb. candied/glazed pineapple, coarsely chopped

1 lb. or more red and/or green candied/glazed cherries, coarsely chopped

3 c. spiced rum, plus more for soaking

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

2 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1½ tsp. ground allspice

1½ tsp. ground nutmeg

5 lg. eggs

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 lb. coarsely chopped pecans (about 4 cups)

Combine dried fruit, dried Bing cherries, chopped dates, candied pineapple, candied cherries, and rum in a covered glass container for 3 to 7 days. 7 days is best.

Cream butter, sugar, and spices until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.

In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Stir into butter mixture just until combined.    Stir in the macerated fruit and nuts, including any remaining liquid. 

Place a large shallow pan of water on the bottom rack of your oven to prevent the cakes from baking too dry. Pre-heat the oven to 275-degrees.

Line 3 (9×5-inch) loaf pans or 1 (9×5-inch) and 5 (7×4-inch) loaf pans with parchment paper and lightly grease paper. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake on the middle rack of the pre-heated oven for 2-2½ hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool on racks for one hour. Remove cakes from pans, and carefully peel off the parchment paper.

When completely cool, place on a rimmed baking sheet, poke lots of tiny holes in the top of each, and slowly slather with more spiced rum. Allow to sit for several hours while the cake absorbs the booze before tightly wrapping in plastic wrap and foil. Store for at least 1 month before serving. (Good luck with that!) (Haven’t had it happen yet!)