Fruit Cake

No really, this is an excellent fruit cake. It's Alton Brown's recipe and it's outstanding. For the candied ginger, get it from a Penzy's Spices store, if you have them where you live; it's way better and cheaper than the grocery store.

Ingredients

• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup currants
• 1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sun dried blueberries
• 1/2 cup sun dried cherries
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• zest of one lemon, coarsely chopped
• zest of one orange, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
• 1 cup gold rum
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)
• 1 cup unfiltered apple juice
• 4 whole cloves, ground
• 6 allspice berries, ground
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecans, broken
• Brandy for basting and/or spritzing

Directions

1. Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate (re-hydrate) overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
2. Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes.
4. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room termperature before completing cake.)
5. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
6. Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts.
7. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.
8. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
9. Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet.
10. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
11. When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Ever 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

Variations

I like to bake the batter in several small loaf pans. The small size makes them easier to cut and it's a better size to make a gift of, in my opinion.