Old English Fruitcake (Newfoundland)

canadian-newfoundland-oldenglishfruitcake Dark and moist with plenty of spices and packed with plenty of sweet glacé fruit. It’s been a Christmas tradition in Newfoundland families for decades. A dark, rich, well spiced old-fashioned English style fruitcake that can be made weeks in advance of Christmas.

1¼ cups dried prunes, chopped (6 oz)
1¼ cups dates, chopped (6 oz)
1½ cups dark raisins (8 oz)
1¼ cups golden raisins (6 oz)
1¼ cups currants (6 oz)
¾ cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup molasses
½ cup coffee liqueur, or ½ cup strong black coffee
2 oranges, freshly juiced and zested
1 cup glacé cherries, chopped
1 cup candied citrus peel
1½ cups pecans, toasted, roughly chopped (7 oz)
2 tsp. ground allspice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 Tbsp. cocoa
3 eggs
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
½ cup ground hazelnuts or almonds
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda

In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat and add the raisins, dates, prunes, currents, brown sugar, molasses, spices, coffee liqueur (or coffee) and the orange zest and juice.

Bring to a gentle boil and very slowly simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30-45 minutes.

When cool stir in the beaten eggs.

Sift together, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda.

Add the ground nuts and fold through the boiled mixture. Fold in cherries, citrus peel and pecans. Pour into prepared baking pan. You can decorate the top with additional pecan halves, cherries etc., if you like.

Bake at 300°F (150°C/130°C fan, Gas Mark 2) for 1½-2 hours depending upon the size of your pan. Mine took the full two hours in a 10” spring form pan. The cake should feel firm to the touch at the center and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. The cake should be cooled completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing.

At this point you can poke small holes in the top and bottom of the cake with a fork and pour on 4 oz of dark rum or your favourite whiskey, half on the top, wait ten minutes, then flip it over and pour the remaining half on the bottom.

Soak several layers of cheesecloth in additional rum if you like and wrap completely around the cake, then cover with several layers of plastic wrap and store in a COOL place.

When serving, you can add a layer of marzipan or if you have decorated the top with fruit and nuts, brush with a simple glaze of equal parts water and sugar boiled together for about 10-15 minutes.

Makes 40.