The Ultimate Christmas Fruitcake Recipe

Ingredients

• 0.25 cup dried cranberries
• 0.25 cup dried currants
• 0.13 cup chopped dried cherries
• 0.13 cup chopped dried mango
• 0.13 cup chopped candied citron
• 0.25 cup dark rum
• cooking spray
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 0.25 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.13 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.25 cup unsulfured molasses
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 0.25 cup chopped pecans
• 6 tablespoons dark rum, or more as needed

Instructions

1. Gather all of your ingredients.
2. Soak the fruit: Combine cranberries, currants, cherries, mango, and citron in a medium bowl. Pour in rum and mix well. Cover tightly and let it sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours to soak.
3. When you're ready to bake the fruitcake, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cut out a 6-inch circle of parchment paper. Grease a 6x3-inch round pan with cooking spray. Place the parchment circle at the bottom, and then spray with cooking spray.
4. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the egg until it is fully incorporated.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; set aside. In another bowl, stir together molasses and milk until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the molasses and milk mixture, beating briefly after each addition.
6. Gently fold in the soaked fruit and pecans. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, which should take approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
8. While the fruitcake is baking, cut a piece of parchment paper and a piece of cheesecloth, each large enough to completely wrap around the cake.
9. Remove the fruitcake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then drizzle 2 tablespoons of rum evenly over the top.
10. Moisten the cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon of rum. Place it on top of the parchment paper, and unmold the fruitcake onto it. Brush the top and sides of the fruitcake with the remaining 3 tablespoons of rum.
11. Wrap the cheesecloth snugly around the surface of the cake, and then wrap it with the parchment paper.
12. Transfer the wrapped fruitcake to an airtight container or tin. Seal the container tightly and let it age at room temperature for at least 10 weeks for the best flavor (if possible) before serving.
13. Enjoy this delicious Christmas fruitcake!

Nutrition

• Calories: 302 kcal
• Fat Content: 15 g
• Fiber Content: 1 g
• Sugar Content: 21 g
• Sodium Content: 203 mg
• Protein Content: 3 g
• Cholesterol Content: 54 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 33 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g