festive fruitcake, rich with colorful candied fruits and nuts.

Here’s a Festive Fruitcake recipe that is rich with colorful candied fruits and nuts, perfect for the holiday season. This fruitcake is moist, flavorful, and packed with festive ingredients like dried fruits, candied citrus, and crunchy nuts, making it an excellent addition to your holiday celebrations.

Festive Fruitcake Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Fruit and Nut Mixture:

• 1 cup candied cherries, chopped
• 1 cup candied pineapple, chopped
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dark raisins
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite nuts like pecans or almonds)
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1/4 cup bourbon or rum (or orange juice if preferred for non-alcoholic version)

For the Fruitcake Batter:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

For Brushing:

• 1/4 cup rum, bourbon, or brandy (or more if preferred)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Fruit and Nut Mixture:

• In a large bowl, combine the candied cherries, candied pineapple, raisins, currants, chopped candied ginger, and all of the nuts.
• Pour the bourbon or rum over the fruit and nuts. Stir everything together until well combined, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight) so the fruits can soak in the alcohol or juice, which helps keep the fruitcake moist.

2. Prepare the Fruitcake Batter:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan (or a 9×5-inch loaf pan) with parchment paper or a baking liner.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Stir in the orange juice, lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla extract, and applesauce until well combined.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• Gently fold in the soaked fruit and nut mixture along with any soaking liquid, ensuring the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

3. Bake the Fruitcake:

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