Noel Fruitcake Recipe
- 3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/4 cups raisins
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 12 ounces dried apricots, chopped
- 8 ounces candied cherries, halved
- 4 ounces candied lemon peel
- 4 ounces candied orange peel
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 cup jellied cranberry sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shortening
- 2 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cranberries
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Line with parchment paper and grease the paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves together. Add raisins, pecans, apricots, cherries, lemon and orange peels. Toss to mix.
- In a small bowl, beat the orange juice and jellied cranberry sauce together until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat shortening, brown sugar and eggs together until fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with the orange juice mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in the chopped cranberries just until the ingredients are well blended.
- Turn batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until the cake is golden brown. Cool cake in the pan. Remove from the pan and remove the paper. Store the cooled cake several weeks in a covered container to mellow flavors. You may also wrap the cake in a brandy-, whisky-, or rum-soaked cheesecloth before storing. If desired, garnish with orange slices and cranberries.
