Holiday Fruitcake with Pecans

This is a proper, old-fashioned fruitcake built on a grand scale. Pounds of dark raisins, golden raisins, currants, citron, and pecans packed into a rich, spiced batter of butter, brown sugar, twelve eggs, honey, orange marmalade, and sherry.

Tossing the fruit and nuts in flour before adding them to the batter is the classic fruitcake technique, and it’s not optional. The flour coating prevents all that heavy fruit from sinking to the bottom during the long, low bake. Two cups of the sifted flour mixture coat the fruit, and the rest goes into the batter alternately with the honey and sherry.

Nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon provide warm, aromatic spicing. The orange marmalade adds a bittersweet citrus note that ties the dried fruits together, and the sherry deepens everything with a mellow, aged warmth. Baked at a very low temperature for two and a half to three hours, the cake comes out dense, moist, and fragrant.

The real magic happens during aging. Wrapped and stored in a cool place for two to three weeks, the flavors meld and mellow into something far more complex than the freshly baked cake.

Pro Tips

• Line the pans with a double layer of waxed paper to prevent the outside from over-browning during the long bake.
• Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly before adding eggs one at a time. This builds the structure needed to support all that fruit.
• The cake is done when it pulls away from the sides and feels firm in the center. Under-baked fruitcake is dense and gummy.
• For aging, wrap tightly in plastic and store in a cool spot. Some bakers brush the cake with additional sherry weekly during the aging period.

Variations

• Soak the dried fruit in sherry or brandy overnight before baking for even more concentrated flavor.
• Swap pecans for walnuts or a mix of both for varied nut flavor.
• Add dried cranberries or dried cherries to the fruit mix for a more modern, colorful version.