Edna Lewis’S Christmas Fruitcake

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Servings: 1 Difficulty: Advanced
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A rich, spiced holiday cake loaded with candied citrus and dried fruits, slowly baked to perfection
Edna Lewis's Christmas Fruitcake recipe image
Edna Lewis's Christmas Fruitcake recipe image
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Edna Lewis’S Christmas Fruitcake

Author: chefs-mate Cooking Method: Cuisine: Courses:
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 1 Calories: 28.2

Description

This traditional Christmas fruitcake is a labor of love, featuring a dense, moist crumb packed with candied orange peel, currants, raisins, and citron. Infused with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, the batter is enriched with sorghum molasses and creamed butter for deep flavor. Soaked in red wine and brandy, the fruits meld into the batter, creating a complex, aromatic dessert. Baked low and slow to prevent burning, this cake improves with age, developing richer flavors as it matures. Perfect for holiday gatherings or as a thoughtful, homemade gift that keeps on giving throughout the festive season.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Dice the glazed candied orange peel, citron, and currants. Combine in a large bowl with seedless raisins, chopped dry red wine, and brandy. Stir gently and let marinate for several hours or overnight.
  2. Butter a 10-inch tube pan or two 9x5-inch loaf pans. Line with parchment paper and butter the paper as well.
  3. Sift all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, ground cloves, ground allspice, and ground mace together twice. Add baking powder and salt, then sift again to ensure even distribution.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter until satiny. Add packed brown sugar and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  5. Lightly beat egg yolks and add them to the butter mixture. Mix well before gradually adding the flour-spice mixture, stirring thoroughly after each addition.
  6. Stir in sorghum molasses until incorporated. Fold in the marinated fruit and any remaining soaking liquid.
  7. In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten whites into the batter.
  8. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let sit overnight in a cool place to mellow.
  9. Preheat oven to 250&# 194;°F (120ðC). Place the cake on the middle rack and bake for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
  10. After 1 1/2 hours of baking, cover the pan with brown paper (not foil) or place the pan inside a paper bag to prevent the top from burning.
  11. Test for doneness by listening for bubbling sounds or inserting a toothpick into the center. If clean, the cake is done.
  12. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.
  13. Turn out the cake, leaving the parchment lining on. Wrap tightly in parchment, then aluminum foil. Store in a tin with a loose lid to allow air circulation.
  14. Every two to three weeks before serving, unwrap and sprinkle with a glassful of brandy, wine, or whiskey to keep moist and enhance flavor.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 1

Amount Per Serving
Calories 28.2kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0.1g1%
Saturated Fat 0.0g0%
Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
Sodium 0.0mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 7.2g3%
Dietary Fiber 1.4g6%
Sugars 5.4g
Protein 0.5g1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: fruitcake, christmas, holiday, edna lewis, traditional, spiced cake, candied fruit, raisins, currants, brandied, molasses, slow bake, tube pan, dessert, winter, classic
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