Fruitcake

Ingredients

• 8 ounces raisins
• 8 ounces sultanas (golden raisins)
• 8 ounces currants
• 4 ounces glacé cherries – halved
• 4 ounces mixed candied citrus peel – finely chopped
• 1 medium orange – zest finely grated
• 1 medium lemon – zest finely grated
• 1.25 cups brandy
• 8 ounces unsalted butter – softened
• 1 cups dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 4 large eggs – at room temperature
• 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 0.5 teaspoons ground allspice
• 0.5 teaspoons ground ginger
• 0.25 teaspoons ground cloves
• 4 ounces blanched almonds – chopped

Instructions

1. Combine the raisins, sultanas, currants, glacé cherries, mixed candied citrus peel, orange zest, lemon zest, and 0.75 cup of the brandy in a large bowl. Stir, cover, and let soak 8–12 hours (overnight), stirring once or twice.
2. Heat the oven to 275°F. Line a deep 8-inch round cake pan (or springform) with a double layer of parchment on the base and sides, extending 2 inches above the rim as a collar.
3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar with a hand mixer until pale and fluffy, 3–5 minutes. Beat in the molasses until combined.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. If the batter looks curdled, beat in 1–2 tablespoons of the flour to bring it back together.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, fine salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground ginger, and ground cloves.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low just until no dry spots remain.
7. Stir the soaked fruit (including any unabsorbed brandy) and the chopped blanched almonds into the batter until evenly distributed.
8. Scrape the thick batter into the prepared pan, level the top, and make a shallow dip in the center to discourage doming. Bake 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, until the top is deep brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs. If the cake is browning too quickly, tent loosely with parchment or foil in the last hour.
9. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes. While warm, poke several holes through the top with a skewer and spoon over 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved brandy.
10. Cool completely in the pan, then carefully unmold and peel away the parchment. Wrap the cake in clean parchment and then in foil, and place in an airtight tin.
11. To mature, feed the cake weekly with 1–2 tablespoons of the remaining reserved brandy until it is used (up to 3–4 weeks). Rest at least 1 day after the last feeding before slicing.
12. Slice with a sharp knife and serve in thin wedges.