Festive Holiday Fruitcake

By zircon50

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup bourbon or orange juice.
• 1 1/2 cups Deluxe Fruit Cake Mix.
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) Glace Colored Pineapple Wedges.
• 1 cup (8 ounces) Glace Whole Red Cherries.
• 1 cup (8 ounces) Glace Whole Green Cherries.
• 1 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped.
• 2 cups currants or dark raisins.
• 1 cup slivered almonds.
• 1 cup walnut halves.
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar.
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened.
• 5 eggs.
• 2 tablespoons dark molasses.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Details

Level of difficulty Average
Cost Average budget

Preparation

Step 1

Pour bourbon over combined fruits and nuts in large bowl; let stand 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add softened butter and both sugars into a mixer, and beat at medium speed until soft and fluffy.

On low speed, add eggs one at a time to mixture and blend completely. Add molasses, and mix.

Measure flour, cinnamon and baking soda into large mixing bowl.

Add flour mixture to batter on low speed just until blended, scraping bowl occasionally.

Stir in fruit mixture. Spread mixture evenly in greased 12-cup fluted or angel cake pan, or 2 greased 6-cup fluted cake pans. Press mixture firmly into pan.

Bake in pre-heated 275-degree oven until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, or approximately for 2 hours. Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes; invert onto wire rack and cool completely.

Makes 1 large or 2 small fruitcakes.