ADVERTISEMENT
- Real Recipes from Real People -

Recipe: New Year's Day Fruit Cake (using rum, keeps 2-3 months)

Desserts - Cakes
NEW YEAR'S DAY FRUIT CAKE
"One New Year's Day we decided to venture out in the cold sunshine to do some vigorous walking with friends, it was a beautiful brisk day and we set off in convoy across the Oxfordshire Downs. A few hours later, we returned to our cars, practically frozen and feeling hungry. From the boot of our car, I produced some individually wrapped portions of my homemade fruit cake. We each took turns gulping down hot coffee from a thermos and clutching at our silver parcels. Everyone looked rosy and really happy. This cake has now become an annual tradition and part of our New Year's Day ritual. Even if the weather is not good for walking, we curl up on the sofa, in front of a roaring fire, with the papers and a slice of fruit cake. Mmmm!"



1 1/2 cups golden raisins
1/2 cup dark rum (or Cognac, sherry, or brandy)
1/4 cup chopped candied cherries
1/4 cup chopped mixed candied peel
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped into small cubes
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup ground almonds

Soak the raisins in half of the rum for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9x5-inch, 3-inch deep loaf pans.

Mix the cherries, mixed peel, ginger, and chocolate together in a large bowl. Sift the flour and spices into a separate bowl.

In another bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, little by little, beating after each addition. Add the molasses. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients. Add the lemon zest, raisins, and the rest of the rum. Stir in the almonds and the fruit and chocolate mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave to cool, in the pans, on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Note: This cake is best made several weeks ahead. It will keep for 2-3 months if stored in tin foil, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, and kept in a cool pantry.

Makes 2 (9x5-inch) cakes
Source: The Little Red Barn Baking Book by Adriana Rabinovich
MsgID: 0225903
Shared by: Betsy at Recipelink.com
Board: All Baking at Recipelink.com
  • Post Reply
  • Post New
  • Save to Recipe Box

More recipes:
Fruitcake Recipes

With pan size chart and recipes for Glazes, Marzipan Frosting, Decorating Icing and Sauces. - From: McCall's Book of Merry Eating
UPLOAD AN IMAGE
Allowed file types: .gif .png .jpg .jpeg

POST A REPLY
Post a Request - Answer a Question
Share a Recipe
Thank You To All Who Contribute
  • Recipe: New Year's Day Fruit Cake (using rum, keeps 2-3 months)
  • Please select one:
  • This message includes a recipe that I have not made Recipe: will appear as the first word of the title
  • This message includes a recipe that I have made Recipe (tried): will appear as the first words of the title
  • This message is a question or a request for a recipe ISO: (In Search of) will appear as the first words of the title
  • This message is to thank the person(s) that answered my request Thank You will appear as the first words of the title
  • No Prefix


  • Do not use the message boards for advertising or solicitation of our visitors.
  • Do not post personal data about yourself or others such as resumes, phone numbers, addresses, etc.
  • Be kind. Rude or offensive posts are not acceptable. If you should find a posting that is objectionable to you please do not post a response. E-mail a message to: help@recipelink.com If a complaint is made against a message it is removed.
  • Choose the board topic that best suits your post. Off topic messages may be moved or removed. Posts of the same request to more than one message board will be deleted.
  • Please do not request that responses be e-mailed directly to you - we work together as a group and we all want to enjoy the replies!
  • Please keep posting of URLs to a minimum and limited to exact responses to requests. Posts with links included are removed if they are inaccurate, if they don't lead to the exact answer to the request or if the site content doesn't meet our criteria for sites we link to.
  • E-mail all site-related questions and comments to:help@recipelink.com
  •  The message boards are monitored and not all posts are accepted. We reserve the right to modify, move, use or remove (or not remove) information posted at our discretion and without prior notification or explanation. Failure to follow the guidelines may result in loss of access. These guidelines are subject to change without notice.

     Not required, but a request: Please take a moment to post a thank you to those that take the time (sometimes hours) to find the recipe or information you requested!

    Thank you for participating!
POST A NEW MESSAGE
Post a Request - Answer a Question
Share a Recipe
Thank You To All Who Contribute
  • Please select one:
  • This message includes a recipe that I have not made Recipe: will appear as the first word of the title
  • This message includes a recipe that I have made Recipe (tried): will appear as the first words of the title
  • This message is a question or a request for a recipe ISO: (In Search of) will appear as the first words of the title
  • This message is to thank the person(s) that answered my request Thank You will appear as the first words of the title
  • No Prefix
  • Do not use the message boards for advertising or solicitation of our visitors.
  • Do not post personal data about yourself or others such as resumes, phone numbers, addresses, etc.
  • Be kind. Rude or offensive posts are not acceptable. If you should find a posting that is objectionable to you please do not post a response. E-mail a message to: help@recipelink.com If a complaint is made against a message it is removed.
  • Choose the board topic that best suits your post. Off topic messages may be moved or removed. Posts of the same request to more than one message board will be deleted.
  • Please do not request that responses be e-mailed directly to you - we work together as a group and we all want to enjoy the replies!
  • Please keep posting of URLs to a minimum and limited to exact responses to requests. Posts with links included are removed if they are inaccurate, if they don't lead to the exact answer to the request or if the site content doesn't meet our criteria for sites we link to.
  • E-mail all site-related questions and comments to:help@recipelink.com
  •  The message boards are monitored and not all posts are accepted. We reserve the right to modify, move, use or remove (or not remove) information posted at our discretion and without prior notification or explanation. Failure to follow the guidelines may result in loss of access. These guidelines are subject to change without notice.

     Not required, but a request: Please take a moment to post a thank you to those that take the time (sometimes hours) to find the recipe or information you requested!

    Thank you for participating!