Holiday Fruitcake
Holiday Fruitcake. As jimmy Buffett said there’s a little bit of fruitcake left in everyone of us. It’s not the holidays unless we’ve made a fruitcake. And this years might just be my favorite yet !! Cheers to the holidays !!
It has become my new tradition to make a fruitcake every year around the holidays. And this year’s is probably my favorite yet. We gave a loaf to my uncle and aunt who also shared it with their neighbors and, well, everyone loved it. Sooo, I may need to make more before Christmas. And the good news is I will have tons of time for baking and cooking the next two weeks when I am off work.
This fruitcake is totally different than any other one I have made before. It has an apple sauce base which gives it a very unique flavor. Then there’s all the usuals…candied fruits, pecans, dates, raisins, spices. I know some people have a hard time wrapping their head around the idea of fruitcake, but I swear this one is totally going to change you.
I am so excited that this is my last full week of work coming up. And honestly, it isn’t even a full week because I am taking a half day Thursday to take my mom out for a birthday lunch/dinner in the city. I am so excited because there are so many exciting things coming up this weekend for holidays and birthdays once again. I have been going out to so many dinners lately. But don't worry guys…we have plenty of Christmas dishes we are sharing in the next two weeks and we are so excited !!
Cheers to another holiday season Saturday !!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 pound dates; chopped
1/4 pound raisins
3/4 pound candied cherries (red and green)
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound pecans
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line 2 (9x5) inch loaf pans with wax paper and grease heavily.
In a medium saucepan, add the applesauce, sugar, and butter. Cook for 5 minutes and let cool completely.
In a large bowl combine the dates, raisins, and candied cherries. In another medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the fruit mixture, a little at a time, until the fruit is coated. Stir in the applesauce mixture. Fold in the pecans.
Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared loaf pans. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 2 hours.
