Story, Value, and Becoming More Real
share post

Merry and Bright Fruitcake

December 10, 2019

Jordan Durbin



 

I am not a fruitcake admirer.  It has a well-earned reputation for heavy stodginess.

Nevertheless, I am an admirer of tradition, and the only thing with more Christmas tradition than fruitcake would be perhaps figgy pudding.  This is an updated fruitcake.  It is bright and citrusy and fresh as the smell of pine boughs.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I and our merry band of carolers do!

 

Cake:

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cardamom

3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 lemon zest (1-2 tsp)

1 orange zest (apprx. 1 Tbsp)

1 cup butter

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

3 whole eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup buttermilk

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced

¾ cup chopped pecans

½ cup roughly chopped dried cherries

½ cup chopped apricots

 

Lemon Frost:

¾ cup confectioner’s sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons whipping cream

Combine all ingredients in small bowl.  If necessary, add a little more whipping cream to thin to drizzling consistency.  Frost should stream easily from spoon and form little ribbons in the bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom and citrus zest in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes on medium speed).   Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each one thoroughly before adding the next.  Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice and mix to combine.  Scrape bowl. 

Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk into the butter mixture in three batches and stir until well combined.  When the batter is cohesive, add the apples, pecans, and dried fruit.

Pour into your favorite bundt pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cocktail stick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Drizzle with lemon frost.



 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

A Field Guide to Cultivating ~ Essentials to Cultivating a Whole Life, Rooted in Christ, and Flourishing in Fellowship

Enjoy our gift to you as our Welcome to Cultivating! Discover the purpose of The Cultivating Project, and how you might find a "What, you too?" experience here with this fellowship of makers!

Receive your complimentary e-book

Explore the

Editions Archive

i

organized for ease by author and category.

View Our Editions Archive