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Traditional Holiday Fruitcake with Rum

Close-up of a slice of rich fruitcake loaded with dried cranberries, raisins, candied fruit, and almonds on a wooden board.
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A rich, dark fruitcake packed with dried fruits and nuts, soaked in rum for a classic holiday flavor. This recipe is designed to be aged, developing a deep, complex taste perfect for festive celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup dark raisins
  • 1 cup chopped candied cherries
  • 1 cup chopped candied pineapple
  • 1 cup chopped candied orange peel
  • 1 cup chopped candied lemon peel
  • 1 cup dark rum, plus more for feeding

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or two 9×5-inch loaf pans. Line the pans with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and both granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, salt, and baking soda.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. In a large bowl, combine all the chopped dried fruits and nuts.
  7. Add the rum to the fruit and nut mixture and stir to coat. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
  8. Add the fruit and nut mixture to the batter and fold gently until evenly distributed.
  9. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s), smoothing the top.
  10. Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours for a tube pan, or 1.5 to 2 hours for loaf pans, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  11. Let the cake(s) cool in the pan(s) for 30 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  12. Once completely cool, wrap the cake(s) tightly in cheesecloth or parchment paper, then in aluminum foil.
  13. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. For best results, ‘feed’ the cake weekly with 1-2 tablespoons of dark rum, re-wrapping after each feeding. Age for at least 2-4 weeks before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • For a darker cake, you can use dark rum and dark molasses.
  • If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can soak the fruit in orange juice or apple juice instead.
  • Ensure your dried fruits and candied peels are cut into small, uniform pieces for even distribution.
  • This fruitcake freezes well for up to 3 months if you need to make it further in advance.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://blissbatter.com/fruitcake-recipe-holiday-rum-aged/