Do not think that this is your normal fruit cake that gets passed around from house to house at Christmas. It is way beyond that. Last year I discovered that I love using fresh ginger in biscotti, cookies and now this fruitcake. You will be proud to have it sitting on your dessert buffet during the holidays. I won’t be waiting for Thanksgiving to make it. It is a great recipe to make to have on hand during the Fall when guests show up unexpectedly. Whip up some homemade whipped cream and put the coffee pot on.
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tables baking powder
1/2 teas salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 teas vanilla
1 cup dried apples, chopped
2/3 cup dried apricots, chopped (not unsulphured)
2 tables grated fresh ginger
1 recipe Honey Bourbon Butter (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour a 9″ spring form pan; set aside.
Place 1/2 cup of the toasted pecans in a food processor; cover and process until finely ground; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pecans, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, butter and eggs. Add vanilla.
Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat for 1 min.
Fold in dried fruit and ginger. Transfer to prepared pan.
Arrange remaining pecans (1/4 cup) on top of batter.
Bake about 40 min or until cake tests done. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 min. Remove sides of pan; cool completely on rack. Remove bottom of pan.
To serve, pour Honey Bourbon Butter over fruitcake if desired and whipping cream if this doesn’t have enough calories to make you feel guilty.
*Honey Bourbon Butter*
In small saucepan melt 1/4 cup butter. Add 2 tables bourbon and 1 table honey. Stir until heated through.
If you want to make this ahead of time for the holiday dinner or party* See below.
Use bourbon or orange juice to moisten a large piece of 100% cheesecloth. Wrap cake in cloth and place in a large resealable plastic bag or wrap in plastic wrap. Store in fridge up to 1 week.
Chocolate Castles as wel 