Description
A dense, flavorful holiday fruitcake packed with Texas pecans and dried fruits, perfect for festive gatherings.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped Texas pecans
- 2 cups mixed dried fruits (apricots, dates, cherries)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup brandy, bourbon, or orange juice for soaking
Instructions
- Chop dried fruits into even pieces and soak them in brandy or bourbon overnight.
- Toast pecans in a low oven for a few minutes.
- Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and spices together in a bowl.
- Cream softened butter and sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in vanilla extract and your selected soaking liquor.
- Gently fold in the soaked fruits and toasted pecans, being careful not to overmix.
- Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C) and prepare baking pans lined with parchment paper.
- Pour the batter into the pans and bake for several hours, checking periodically.
- Once baked, cool the cake in the pan before carefully lifting it out.
- Wrap the cooled cake in cheesecloth soaked in liquor and then in foil for storage.
Notes
For optimal flavor, age the fruitcake for at least a month, feeding it with liquor or syrup every few weeks.