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Fabulous Holiday Fruitcake

Make Fabulous Holiday Fruitcake at home with Light Brown Sugar Packed, Canola Oil Or Safflower Oil, Honey, Apple Juice Or Orange Juice, and Unsweetened Applesauce. Keep it handy for the next time you cook it.

Illustrative photo

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup
• 1/2 cup
• 1/2 cup
• 1/3 cup
• 2 cup
• 2 tsp
• 2 1/4 cup
• 1 cup
• 1 1/2 tsp
• 1/2 tsp
• 3/4 tsp
• 1 1/2 tsp
• 1 cup
• 1 1/2 tbsp
• 1/4 tsp

Method (preview)

1. 1

   If you wish, you can use halved nuts to garnish the cake top along with the Vanilla Icing Glaze.

2. 2

   If you have the time, the fruit benefits from macerating for 24 hours in rum or brandy; otherwise mix up the fruit before you make the cakes.

3. 3

   Twenty-four hours before baking the cakes (or as early on the baking day as possible), assemble all the fruit in a large bowl.

4. 4

   Stir in the dark rum or brandy, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

5. 5

   Position 2 racks to divide the oven in thirds, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the pans with solid shortening.

6. 6

   Cut wax paper or parchment liners to fit inside, and press the papers against the greased pan bottom and sides.

7. 7

   Lightly coat the paper with cooking spray.

8. 8

   In a large bowl, combine the egg and egg whites, brown sugar, oil, honey, juice, applesauce, vanilla, and grated orange zest or orange flavoring.

9. 9

   Whisk, or beat with an electric mixer on low, to blend well.

10. 10

    Set a large strainer over the bowl and add both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

11. 11

    Stir and sift the dry ingredients onto the wet.

12. 12

    Add the wheat germ.

13. 13

    With the whisk, or the mixer at low speed, mix until just blended.

14. 14

    Do not overbeat.

15. 15

    Stir the spirit-soaked fruit into the batter and blend well.

16. 16

    Divide the batter among the prepared pans, filling them about three quarters full. (The batter is very heavy, and while it does rise, it will not overflow the pans.) Bake small loaves for about 60 to 65 minutes and regular loaves for about 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cakes are risen and golden brown on top, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

17. 17

    When the cakes are completely cool, if you like, wrap them in rum- or brandy-soaked cloths, place in a heavy-duty zip-lock bags or plastic boxes, and set in a cool, dark location to age for about 1 month.

18. 18

    To glaze the cakes, set them on racks over wax paper.

19. 19

    Drizzle some of the glaze on top of each cake, letting it run down the sides.

20. 20

    If you wish, place a few nuts in the glaze before it dries.

21. 21

    Let sit until the glaze is dried and set, about 30 minutes.

22. 22

    When the glaze is hard, you can wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and freeze them, or give them as gifts, or slice and serve.

23. 23

    Whisk together the sugar, liquid and the extract.

24. 24

    Add a few more drops of liquid if need to make a glaze soft enough to drip from a spoon.