Simple Christmas FruitCake

 

Ingredients:

• 120g butter, melted
• 200g brown sugar, packed
• 100g white sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 150ml orange juice
• 100ml honey
• 60ml brandy
• 400g flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp allspice
• 40g glazed cherries

Fruit and Nuts Mixture

• 1000g glazed fruits
• 300 g raisins
• 150g toasted almonds 
• 150 g walnuts
• 300 g pecans
• 340 ml brandy

Procedure:

In a glass bowl, combine dried fruits, nuts, &  the 1/2 cup brandy. Soak overnight.

Preheat oven to 160-170C.

Grease sides and bottom of 3 loaf pans with butter and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine butter, sugar, syrup, eggs, orange concentrate, molasses & 2 tablespoons brandy. With an electric mixer, beat until well blended.
Add flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Beat until well-blended.
Add 1/2 the fruit and nut mixture and stir to combine.
Pour batter in prepared loaf pans. Spoon the remaining half of the fruit and nut mixture over the batter. Decorate with glazed cherries.
Place the batter in the pans in the preheated oven. Place a separate pan of water in the oven either on a rack underneath the fruitcake.
Bake at 160C to 170C for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. 
Carefully lift the fruitcakes from baking pans and let cool completely.
Brush all sides with brandy or rum.
Wrap with heavy-duty aluminum foil and store at room temperature in a styrofoam box or tin can.
Brush fruitcake with brandy every week for four weeks, then every two weeks. 

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