MAKES 12 • PREP: 35 MIN (NOT INCLUDING SOAKING FRUIT) • BAKE: 30 TO 35 MIN
3 cups chopped candied fruit, a mix of orange and lemon peels, cherries and pineapple and/or other dried fruit (such as apricots, raisins or cranberries)
¾ cup brandy or dark rum
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp each ground cloves and nutmeg
2 large eggs
¼ cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups pecans, coarsely chopped
ICING
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 to 4 Tbsp milk
1½ cups chopped candied or dried fruit
1 Cover fruit with ½ cup brandy. Soak 24 hours at room temperature.
2 Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour two mini-Bundt pans with six 1-cup-capacity cups in each (see Note).
3 In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves and nutmeg with mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs and milk. On low speed, beat in flour until just blended. Stir in fruit along with any liquid and pecans. Spoon about ½ cup into each mini-Bundt pan, smoothing tops.
4 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in middle of cakes comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 15 to 20 minutes, then invert and rap pan down sharply to release cakes. Spoon 1 tsp brandy over top of each. Cool completely.
5 Icing: Beat confectioners’ sugar and milk until well blended. Drizzle over tops of cakes. Sprinkle with chopped fruit. Let icing set. You can decorate up to two days before serving or giving, but make sure to store airtight.
PER FRUITCAKE: 712 cal, 5 g pro, 114 g car, 3 g fiber, 27 g fat (11 g sat fat), 76 mg chol, 250 mg sod
Storage tip: Store undecorated cakes airtight at room temperature for 1 week, or in the freezer for 3 months.
