Description
Homemade apricot and walnut fruitcake combines rich Mediterranean flavors with traditional baking techniques. Dried apricots and chopped walnuts create a delightful texture that will satisfy classic dessert enthusiasts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ tsps vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups white sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups dried apricots, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ cups raisins
- 2 cups glace cherries, roughly chopped (1 cup red and 1 cup green)
- 1 cup mixed peel
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Fruit Preparation: Simmer white sugar, apricots, raisins, and water in a saucepan for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool the mixture completely.
- Creaming Stage: Whip butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and remaining sugar until light and fluffy, creating a voluminous base.
- Egg Integration: Blend eggs individually into the creamy mixture, ensuring a smooth and uniform texture develops.
- Mixture Fusion: Fold the cooled fruit mixture, including its liquid, into the creamy base, achieving comprehensive integration.
- Dry Ingredient Incorporation: Gently fold flour and baking powder into the batter, maintaining its delicate airiness.
- Final Additions: Blend glace cherries, mixed peel, and chopped walnuts throughout the mixture, distributing evenly.
- Baking Preparation: Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat two loaf pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper. Fill pans three-quarters full, tapping to remove air pockets.
- Baking Process: Bake for 55-60 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean, the fruitcake is ready.
- Cooling Protocol: Rest cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow complete cooling before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Soak Fruits Overnight: Enhance flavor depth by soaking apricots and raisins in rum or orange juice before cooking, allowing them to absorb maximum moisture and develop rich, complex tastes.
- Check Moisture Balance: Monitor fruit mixture closely while simmering to prevent burning, ensuring a syrupy consistency that adds natural sweetness and prevents dry cake texture.
- Prevent Ingredient Sinking: Lightly dust glace cherries, mixed peel, and walnuts with flour before folding into batter, which helps suspend ingredients evenly throughout the cake and prevents them from dropping to the bottom.
- Temperature Precision Matters: Use room temperature butter and eggs for smoother blending, creating a more uniform batter and ensuring consistent cake texture and rise.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 343
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 184 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 71 mg