This fruitcake recipe is alcohol-free and I used apple juice to soak the raisins. This step is to make the raisins plump and soft thus preventing them from absorbing the liquid from the batter. I want my fruitcake to look festive so I used red and green glace cherries. Other dried fruits may also be used.
I have tried this fruitcake recipe several times until my family and I were satisfied with the texture and taste of the cake. The fruitcake came out soft and moist. It was even better the next day when we toast slices in the toaster oven. It is best served with coffee or tea.
INGREDIENTS
- Dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
- Wet ingredients – butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and sour cream
- Fruits – raisins, glace cherries (preferably red and green)
- Nuts – walnuts
HOW TO MAKE A FRUITCAKE
To make this moist and colorful cake, soak the raisins in the apple juice for 30 minutes. While the raisins are soaking, make the batter. Start by creaming the butter and sugar. Next, add the eggs, one a time, making sure to beat well each time. Next step is to stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream. Set the egg mixture aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this mixture, half at a time, into the egg mixture, making sure to blend well each time.
Next, stir in the soaked raisins, glace cherries and chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into a greased 9X5-inch loaf pan and place in the oven. Place a pan of water on a rack beside the fruitcake. Bake the fruitcake in the preheated 300 degree F oven for 2 hours. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
TIPS FOR MAKING FRUITCAKE
- Soak the raisins in liquid to soften. Use any fruit juice or preferred alcohol. This important step prevents the raisins from absorbing the liquid in the batter.
- Adding sour cream in the batter produces a moist fruitcake.
- Place a pan of water on a rack beside or underneath the fruitcake. This step produces a moist cake as well as a nice crust.
- Bake the fruitcake at a low temperature for a long time to allow for even baking.
- Cool the fruitcake completely before slicing.
Fruitcake
Ingredients
- ½ cup apple juice
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs , at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 ¼ cups glace cherries , red and green, cut in halves
- 1 cup walnuts , chopped
Instructions
- Pour the apple juice in a measuring cup and then add the raisins. Stir and let the raisins soak for 30 minutes.
- Position the rack in the middle of the oven and then preheat the oven to 300 degree F. Grease a 9X5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until combined. Stir in the vanilla and sour cream. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir until blended. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until well mixed.
- Add the soaked raisins (plus liquid), halved glace cherries and chopped walnuts. Stir until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place the pan in the oven. Place a separate pan of water on a rack underneath or beside the fruit cake.
- Bake for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Nutrition
This is so good! I added some cut up dates. Also I couldn’t find cherries so I used the fruit cake.mix.
Hi Judy,
Glad that you were able to try and made some adjustment to this recipe. Take care and happy holidays!
Fruit cake is DIVINE. Assorted colors of dried fruits make it more delightful
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