FULLY LOADED FRUITCAKE
Every Christmas, my parents buy small fruitcakes from an elderly lady in their church. Her fruitcake is famous in Los Angeles’s Chinese Christian community, and it sells out fast around the holidays. The golden brown loaves with craggy tops are not too sweet, and they’re packed with nuts and dried fruit. My parents always send me a loaf, and I savor it for weeks. The recipe is closely guarded, but I think I’ve come pretty close to the original. The secret is to coat the good stuff with just enough batter to bind the walnuts and dried fruits together. Dense, chewy, and fruity, with a nutty crunch, this loaf should be served in very thin slices. It’s great on its own, and even better with cheeses, soft or hard. To give these cakes as gifts, bake them in three 4½-by-2½-inch mini loaf pans.
TIP: Because the flavor of the cake is utterly dependent on the quality of the nuts and dried fruit, buy the best you can find. Be sure to use fresh walnuts, since they go rancid quickly.
makes one 9-by-5-inch loaf cake
dairy-free
- ¼ cup (36 g) white whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (162 g) pitted Medjool dates, halved lengthwise
- ½ cup (92 g) dried tart apricots, quartered
- 1 cup (117 g) walnuts
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the parchment.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Add the dates, apricots, and walnuts and fold until evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared pan and gently poke the batter with a rubber spatula to get some of the solids against the sides and into the corners. The batter won’t cover the fruit and nuts.
3. Bake until the cake is evenly browned and set, 50 to 55 minutes. When you press the center, it should feel firm.
4. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
5. To unmold, slide a thin-bladed knife between the edges of the cake and the pan. Carefully invert it onto the rack and discard the parchment, then turn it right side up.
MAKE AHEAD
The cake will keep for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or 3 months in the freezer.
JUMBO FRUITCAKE
Double all of the ingredients and bake in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan for about 1¼ hours. You’ll end up with a tall, heavy cake.