Dark Fruitcake

Category	Desserts
Classification	American
Added By	Phyllis Watson
Added On
Prep Time	several hours plus c
Yield	10 tube or 3 small size pans
Source	Joy of Cooking 1997
Comment	This is wonderful stuff, with or without brandy etc. added. Dark, fruity and heavy

Ingredients

3 cups flour, all-purpose and/or whole wheat
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2` teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 pound unsalted butter - regular works, too
2 cups packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dark or light molasses
2 oranges worth grated orange zest
1/2 oranges worth orange juice
3/4 cup brandy
2 1/2 cups diced mixed candied fruits(citron, pineapple, cherries, kumquats, orange peel. apricots,
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
1 1/2 cups currants
1 1/2 cups raisins, golden or dark

Directions

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease and line the bottom and sides of one 10- inch tube pan or smaller equivalent area pans with wax paper or parchment paper. Sift together all the dry ingredients and set aside. Beat the butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add the brown sugar and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the molasses, zest and citrus juices. Add the flour in three parts alternately with the brandy: Flour, brandy, flour, brandy, flour. Beat on low speed and scrape the bowl often. Stir in the fruits, nuts, dates, currants, and raisins. (I mix a little flour in with the fruit mixture to keep it from sticking together.) Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 3 1/2 hours. The cake may appear done at 2 1/2 hours; simply ignore this. If the cake is getting too dark on top, tent it loosely with aluminum foil for the last 30 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for about 1 hour. Invert the cake and remove the paper liner. Let cool right side up on the rack. To store: poke the cake all over with a skewer and pour almost boiling brandy into it. You can use up to a cup for a 2 1/2 pound cake. Bourbon, rum or wine also works. Wrap tightly in cloth or saran type wrap and store in plastic ziplock bag or airtight container of some sort. Do not store or wrap in aluminum foil. The alcohol will disintegrate the foil. (This is personal experience speaking. We wrapped it in foil and the foil disintegrated.)

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