Rich Brandied Fruitcake

Submitted by Lighthouse Rita

"I got this recipe from the canadian living website. This fruitcake is cooking in my oven as I type. I wanted to make sure I had a copy so I am adding it to my cookbook. I will revise my desciprition after I taste it, although that may be several weeks. To prevent cakes from drying out over the long span of time, brush with brandy before wrapping and every few weeks there after."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 19
• Yields: 3 loaf cakes
• Serves: 24

ingredients

• 4 cups candied peel
• 3 cups seeded raisins
• 1 cup dark seedless raisins
• 1 cup currants
• 1 cup halved candied cherry
• 1 cup brandy or 1 cup rum
• 1⁄2 cup diced candied pineapple
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon clove
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chopped blanched slivered almond

directions

1. In large glass bowl, stir candied peel, raisins, currants, cherries, brandy and pineapple. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 12 hours or microwave at high for 3 mintues or until steaming, stir.
2. In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beat in vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves, stir into batter, one-third at a time. Scrape fruit mixture over batter, sprinkle with pecans and almonds. Stir just enough to coat fruit and nuts evenly.
3. Spoon into two 9x5 inch and one 5-3/4 by 3-1/4 inch parchment paper lined loaf pans, packing with back of spoon. Tap lightly on counter. Bake in center of 300 degree oven for about 1 1/4 hours for small loaf and 2 hours for large loaves or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on rack for 30 mintues. Turn out, right side up, onto rack. Let cool completely.
4. Note: After one hour of baking place a piece of foil loosely over cakes. I assume this is to prevent the cake from browning too much.