Smart Cookie Fruitcake

Rum, chai, and and orange juice impart big flavor to the 6-fruit medley in these mini fruitcake loaves.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 302 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 lemon, zested
• baking spray
• 1 fluid ounce spiced rum, or to taste
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.75 cup unsalted butter
• 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon ground allspice
• 0.5 cup golden raisins
• 0.5 cup dried cherries
• 0.5 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 0.5 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 0.5 cup dried blueberries
• 0.5 cup spiced rum
• 0.25 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
• 0.5 cup strongly brewed chai tea
• 0.75 cup unsalted mixed nuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine dates, cherries, raisins, blueberries, apricots, and ginger in a bowl. Pour spiced rum and chai on top and let soak 8 hours to overnight.

Step 2

Mix soaked fruit with orange juice, zest, butter, sugar, zest, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer and cook until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

Step 3

In the meantime, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray 4 mini loaf pans with baking spray.

Step 5

Remove cinnamon stick from the soaked fruit; stir in the flour mixture until combined. Add eggs, mixing to combine, and fold in mixed nuts. Divide batter between the prepared loaf pans.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Step 7

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of each loaf and turn out of the pan. Brush warm cakes with more rum and let cool completely, at least 1 hour.

Step 8

Place cooled cakes in airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 6 to 7 weeks. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.