Traditional Fruitcake

It became a punchline in the latter half of the twentieth century, but a good, traditional fruitcake recipe is no joke. Often considered a Christmas dessert, fruitcake has a rich history, with cooks in various corners of Europe baking breads with candied fruit and spices in the early Middle Ages. Variations abound, from German stollen to Italian panettone to British Dundee cakes and plum pudding to Caribbean black cake to Scotland’s pastry-wrapped, citron-studded black bun cake, often served on New Year’s Eve and Day.

This cake recipe requires advance planning to allow the soaked fruit time to macerate, but the prep time is otherwise minimal. It’s easy to customize, too. Swap a tablespoon of vanilla extract for the rum in the apricot glaze. Use dried cranberries, apples, chopped prunes, or any mix of dried fruits instead of raisins and currants; and candied pineapple, or lemon or orange peel, for the glacéed cherries and angelica. Mix in a dash of ground allspice, cinnamon, or cardamom with the dry ingredients, or stir a handful of dark chocolate chips into the cake batter with the nuts.

The rare baked good with a shelf life, traditional fruitcake lasts at room temperature for up to six months (though we recommend no longer than two). It doesn’t need to be stored in an airtight container, but it should be kept in a cool, dry place, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.