During the holiday season, I like to spend an afternoon making some delicious homemade mini fruit cakes. Making and serving these delectable goodies has been around for centuries. You will usually see them served around the holiday season or at wedding celebrations.
You will find that various cultures will have a different twist on the traditional recipe, however, the following recipe is done in the American tradition. When I make this fruit cake, I bake them in a muffin tin or in mini loaf pans. If desired, you can certainly bake them in a regular loaf pan or round cake pan.
Fruit Cake Recipe
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups eggnog
1 1/2 cups mixed candied fruits
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
additional eggnog
(optional) candied cherry halves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the granulated sugar with the softened butter until it's light and creamy. Beat in both eggs until combined. In another bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Slowly stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture and then beat in the eggnog until all ingredients are well combined. Fold in the chopped candied fruits. If the mixture is stiff, stir by hand.
Lightly spray your muffin or mini loaf pans with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Spoon the batter into your desired pans. Place pans into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until they are done and the centers test clean with a toothpick. Remove from the pans and let cool on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar, nutmeg and ground cinnamon. Add in enough eggnog to make the mixture of drizzling consistency. Drizzle the glazed over the cooled fruit cakes.
If desired, top the fruit cakes with candied cherry halves for garnishing and store them in an airtight storage container.
