My Favorite Almond Fruitcake
A country inn recipe for My Favorite Almond Fruitcake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raisins
- 1/2 cup citron peel
- 1 1/2 cups candied red cherries, halved
- 3/4 cups candied green cherries, halved
- 1 cup candied pineapple, in chunks
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup Amaretto di Saronna
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup soft butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 1/4 cup Brandy
- 1/4 cup Amaretto di Soronna
- 1/3 cup ground almonds
- 3/4 cup whole almonds
Instructions
- 1
Place fruit in large bowl. Add brandy and Amaretto, mixing well. Cover and let soak overnight.
- 2
Preheat oven to 275F and grease 6 small loaf pans. Line pans with heavy brown paper and grease.
- 3
Mix whole almonds into fruit mixture.
- 4
Dredge fruit in 1/2 cup of flour until all fruit is coated. This prevents fruit from sinking to bottom of cake.
- 5
Beat butter and shortening in large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, then add eggs one at a time and almond extract.
- 6
Add 1 cup flour until just combined. Beat in Brandy and Amaretto.
- 7
Beat in 1 cup flour, then milk. Stir in ground almonds.
- 8
Fold batter into fruit mixture until fruit is evenly distributed.
- 9
Spoon into baking pans.
- 10
Bake 50 to 60 minutes for small pans or up to 2 1/2 hours for larger pans. Test cake for doneness by inserting toothpick into center. It should come out clean if properly cooked.
- 11
Remove and cool on wire racks before removing from pans.
- 12
If storing cake for a month or so before using, brush with additional Amaretto or Brandy, wrap in cheesecloth and foil. Age for at least 2 weeks to allow flavors to mellow.