Smart Cookie Fruitcake

Using naturally sweetened dried fruits and a curing time of 6 to 7 weeks ensures a beautifully flavored fruitcake that's even tastier than it is infamous. This recipe makes 4 mini loaves for easy gift-giving!

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

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup dried cherries
• ½ cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1 cup orange juice
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ cup dried blueberries
• ½ cup spiced rum
• 1 lemon, zested
• baking spray
• ¼ cup crystallized ginger, chopped
• ½ cup strongly brewed chai tea
• ¾ cup unsalted mixed nuts, chopped
• 1 fluid ounce spiced rum, or to taste
• 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.