English Fruitcake

This is the real English fruitcake, dense and heavy with over three cups of raisins, candied orange peel, candied lemon peel, citron, candied cherries, and chopped walnuts. The fruit-to-batter ratio is massive, which is exactly what a proper fruitcake should be: more fruit than cake.

Brown sugar and shortening get creamed until fluffy, then well-beaten eggs and lemon extract go in. The dry ingredients, sifted cake flour with baking powder and mace, alternate with fruit juice in small additions. That gradual mixing keeps the heavy batter from separating or becoming lumpy.

Mace is the spice choice here, not the usual cinnamon-nutmeg combination. It’s subtler and more floral, with a warm fragrance that works beautifully with candied citrus peel without competing for attention.

Two to two and a half hours at 300F gives the dense cake time to bake through without burning the outside. Line the tube pan with greased brown paper for protection and even heat distribution.

Chef Tips

• Sift the dry ingredients three times as directed. This isn’t fussiness. Triple sifting distributes the mace and baking powder evenly through all that flour.
• Chop the candied fruit small so it distributes evenly. Large pieces clump together and leave fruit-free pockets in the cake.
• Test with a toothpick before removing. The center of a dense fruitcake can look done on the outside while still wet inside.
• Wrap the cooled cake tightly in foil. Fruitcake improves with age and keeps for weeks.

Variations

• Brush the finished cake with brandy or rum and wrap in cheesecloth soaked in spirits for a boozy, traditional aging.
• Replace the fruit juice with dark stout beer for a richer, darker cake.
• Add dried cranberries or dried apricots for a more modern fruit mix.