AUNT ANGIE’S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE – I like fruitcake and I’m not afraid to shout it out to the fruitcake-hating world. I LIKE FRUITCAKE. What I don’t like is the cheap, generically produced ones you can buy at the market for like 99 cents. That’s just asking for trouble. It has to be homemade.
This is my Great Aunt Angie’s recipe. Bless her heart. She made the best turkey meatballs in the world and my Dad loves her fruitcake. Last year Mama Bear made it, this year it was my turn.
I think the reason why people don’t like fruitcake is because of the candied fruit. It has a distinct, unexplainable flavor to it that you’re either gonna love or hate. I can’t compare it to anything because I know of nothing else like it. I do know it is a bit of an acquired taste. My Dad and I are pretty much the only ones who will eat it. I say it all the time but I’m pretty sure I inherited my raging sweet tooth from him.
Anywho this is an applesauce cake. The applesauce keeps it moist and tender and gives it a nice even texture. It also has a pound of candied fruitcake mix in it, dried cranberries and walnuts. You can use raisins instead of cranberries or even dried cherries and any kind of nuts you like although I think walnuts or pecans work best.
It needs nothing more than a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar for serving and is absolutely perfect with a cup of coffee.
Now, don’t go hating on my fruitcake.
Tis’ the season after all.
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AUNT ANGIE’S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 + ½ cups applesauce
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground or fresh grated
- 1 pound fruitcake mix
- 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped nuts I use walnuts
- confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a bundt pan (12 cup).
- Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed 2 - 3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Beat in the applesauce - it might look curdled - that's ok.
- In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together.
- Add it to the butter mixture and beat on low until just combined.
- Stir in the fruitcake mix, raisins and nuts.
- Spoon into the bundt pan and spread evenly.
- Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Let cool on a wire rack about 30 minutes. Turn out onto a cake dish/platter. Cool completely.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar to serve.