Bourbon Fruitcake

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed candied fruit
• 1/2 cup dried apricot, coarsely,cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup diced dried pineapple, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 ounces packages craisins
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 2 1/2 cups very coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups sugar (preferably superfine, but regular granulated sugar is ok)
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted after measuring
• 1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 1/3 cups bourbon, bourbon whiskey,divided (or more)
• vegetable shortening, for greasing pans
• wax paper
• 1/2 cup dry sherry, about

Recipe

• 1 relative amounts of dried and candied fruit can be varied, but the total amount of fruit should be about 5 cups.
• 2 additional fruit and nuts can be added if you like lots in your fruitcake.
• 3 chop fruit as necessary.
• 4 halve the green and red candied cherries, and very coarsely chop apricots and dried pineapple.
• 5 very coarsely chop pecans.
• 6 place fruit and nuts in a large bowl, and toss well with the 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.
• 7 cream softened butter and sugar, using an electric mixer, until well combined.
• 8 add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, and set aside.
• 9 sift all dry ingredients, and stir until well combined.
• 10 stir 1/3 cup bourbon into milk in measuring cup.
• 11 using an electric mixer, alternately, add flour mixture and milk mixture to the creamed butter, starting and ending with flour, mixing to combine well after each addition.
• 12 when thoroughly combined, toss flour coated fruit and nuts again, and fold into batter using a large wooden spoon or spatula.
• 13 place rack in middle of oven with second rack below, place a cookie sheet on the lower rack to shield loaf pans from heat.
• 14 preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 15 grease 5-6 mini-loaf pans (3"x5½”x2") loaf pans or a 10" tube pan (preferably with a removable bottom), and line with greased wax paper.
• 16 if using mini-loaf pans just press 5 or 5½” wide pieces crosswise in pans; don’t worry about the pan ends.
• 17 fill pans just to the top or a little below with batter, dividing evenly.
• 18 fruitcakes will rise just a little above the top a little during baking, but they won’t overflow.
• 19 if using mini-loaf pans, bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean, if using a tube pan, bake for about 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• 20 pans should be shuffled about and turned after half of baking time has passed to ensure that fruitcake (s) bake evenly.
• 21 when done, remove fruitcakes from oven, and set on cooling racks to cool for 10 minutes.
• 22 turn fruitcakes out of pans, peel off wax paper, and set on cooling racks for another 10 minutes.
• 23 brush loaves generously with dry sherry, and return to racks to cool completely.
• 24 allow to set overnight, covered, for sherry to soak in to loaves.
• 25 cut cheesecloth into pieces large enough wrap each loaf in a double or triple layer, and soak cheesecloth pieces in 1/2 cup bourbon.
• 26 wrap loaves in the cheesecloth, and sprinkle any remaining bourbon on top.
• 27 wrap in foil, and set in a cool place to age for 1 week.
• 28 carefully peel back foil, and brush or spray each loaf with remaining 1/2 cup bourbon.
• 29 replace foil, and allow loaves to age 1 more week before eating or giving as gifts.
• 30 this brushing and aging process can be repeated several more times if desired, assuming that you started well before christmas.
• 31 this recipe can easily be doubled if your oven is large enough to handle all the pans.