Not-Your-Grandma's Fruitcake

By ldelmas

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set aside. Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the margarine, shortening, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the half and half, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just incorporated. Strain the macerated fruit and fold it into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 75–85 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before serving. Now, rest assured…this is not your grandma's hand-me-down mystery cake or anything like those fruitcakes that make better doorstops than holiday dessert. The base of this recipe is a decadent pound cake with a hint of lemon. You'll love the addition of the rum-soaked fruit (which you needn't soak for two entire weeks if you don't have the time) and, if you like, add your favorite nuts. Almonds, pecans, or walnuts would work beautifully in this recipe. Fold them in when you add the fruit. As I said above, soaking the fruit for two weeks will impart a rich, deep, rum flavor. You just won't have that same intensity with a shorter soaking time. And, you may actually prefer a milder cake, which is fine. Remember, my recipes are your recipes. Make them your own!