Smart Cookie Fruitcake
Hard Caribbean Dessert

Smart Cookie Fruitcake

Total Time
2h 2m
42m prep · 80m cook
Servings
4 people
Rating
Difficulty
Hard
32 views

Using naturally sweetened dried fruits and a curing time of 6 to 7 weeks ensures a beautifully flavored fruitcake that's even tastier than it is infamous. This recipe makes 4 mini loaves for easy gift-giving!

Ingredients

  • 0.5 cups dates , pitted and chopped
  • 0.5 cups dried cherries
  • 0.5 cups golden raisins
  • 0.5 cups dried blueberries
  • 0.5 cups dried apricots , chopped
  • 0.25 cups crystallized ginger , chopped
  • 0.5 cups spiced rum
  • 0.5 cups strongly brewed chai tea
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 0.75 cups unsalted butter
  • 0.5 cups white sugar
  • 1 orange , zested
  • 1 lemon , zested
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 0.25 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 0.25 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • baking spray
  • 2 eggs , lightly beaten
  • 0.75 cups unsalted mixed nuts , chopped

Instructions

  1. 1

    Combine dates, cherries, raisins, blueberries, apricots, and ginger in a bowl. Pour spiced rum and chai on top and let soak 8 hours to overnight.

  2. 2

    Mix soaked fruit with orange juice, zest, butter, sugar, zest, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer and cook until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

  3. 3

    In the meantime, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

  4. 4

    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray 4 mini loaf pans with baking spray.

  5. 5

    Remove cinnamon stick from the soaked fruit; stir in the flour mixture until combined. Add eggs, mixing to combine, and fold in mixed nuts. Divide batter between the prepared loaf pans.

  6. 6

    Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.

  7. 7

    Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of each loaf and turn out of the pan. Brush warm cakes with more rum and let cool completely, at least 1 hour.

  8. 8

    Place cooled cakes in airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 6 to 7 weeks. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

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Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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