Recipe: Chocolate Fruitcake (with chooclate chips, cocoa, and kahlua)

CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE

1 (8 oz.) pkg. pitted dates
1 (8 oz.) pkg. dried apricots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 (3 to 4 oz.) container red candied cherries
1 (3 to 4 oz.) container green candied cherries
3 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup coffee-flavor liqueur (Kahlua)
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
FOR THE TOPPING:
Light corn syrup

Day ahead or up to 2 weeks ahead of serving:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease well, then flour 10 inch bundt pan.

Reserve a few dates, apricots, raisins and candied cherries for garnish (about 1 cup total); wrap with plastic wrap. Coarsely chop remaining dates, apricots and cherries.

In large bowl, combine dates, apricots, raisins, cherries, walnuts and chocolate chips. Stir in 1/4 cup of the flour until fruit and nuts are evenly coated.

In another large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat brown sugar, butter or margarine, coffee liqueur, the 1/2 cup water, and eggs.

Stir together the remaining 2 cups flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix into sugar mixture until blended, constantly scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Increase speed to high; beat 3 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.

With spoon, stir fruit mixture into batter. Spoon batter into pan, packing down batter evenly to eliminate air pockets.

Bake 1 1/2 hours or until cake begins to pull away from side of pan. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool cake completely on rack.

Wrap fruitcake tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight so cake will be firm and easy to slice.

FOR THE TOPPING:
In small bowl toss fruit reserved for top with enough corn syrup to coat. Garnish cake with fruit.

Makes one 5 pound fruit cake
Source: Cookbook USA

Hi Barbara and Gladys,

I haven't tried this recipe but it looks similar to what you're describing. If you want to experiment you could try substituting apple brandy for the kahlua. We'll keep looking and hopefully your exact recipe will turn up.

Happy Holiday Baking!

Betsy at Recipelink.com