Oh, no...

NOT another post about FRUITCAKE!

Well, we figured you'd be out at the mall shopping today, and maybe we could slip this one past you.

Or not.

If you've managed to get past the word FRUITCAKE, read on. This chocolate chunk, pecan, cherry/cranberry version might just be the recipe that finally tickles your fruitcake fancy–

Chocolate Cherry-Berry Fruitcake.

Dried cherries on the left; dried cranberries on the right. While the cherries are wonderfully tasty, if your budget can't handle them, definitely go with the cranberries. Or a combination, as I'm doing here.

Combine the dried cherries or dried cranberries with 1/2 cup brandy or rum, or 1/3 cup water.

Cover and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes (or bring to a simmer on the stovetop), stir, then set aside to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease the pans of your choice: two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans; five 7" wooden bakers; six 7" paper bake & give loaf pans (which is what I'll be using here); one 12-cup bundt-style pan, or two 6-cup bundt-style pans.

Put the following in a large bowl:

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
2 tablespoons Cake Enhancer, optional

Beat until smooth.

Next, you'll add 3 large eggs, one at a time, with the mixer going. Obviously, the mixer isn't going here; do as I say, not as I did. Add 1 egg, beat to combine, stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the second egg, beat to combine, stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, etc.

The batter will lighten noticeably, both in texture and color.

Next, you'll add 2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour and 3/4 cup milk, at room temperature. Start with about 1/3 of the flour...

...then half the milk, then another 1/3 of the flour, etc. Continue in that manner until both flour and milk have been completely added.

Your batter will be even lighter and thicker.

Next, the add-ins.

You'll need 1 1/2 cups candied red cherries (l); 1 1/3 cups Raspberry Jammy Bits or Blueberry Jammy Bits or a combination (r); and 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks (center). I'm using Peter's Burgundy Chunks here, because I like their balanced flavor – not too bitter, not too milky-sweet.

So, what are these Jammy Bits, anyway? Tasty bits made from a blend of raspberry (or blueberry)  juice, apple juice, sugar, and pectin. They hold their shape and soft, chewy texture when baked; and don't “bleed” into batters. They're also quite yummy.

Can you substitute some other dried fruit or nuts? Of course, be my guest.

Mix the fruit and chocolate with 2 1/2 cups diced pecans or walnuts.

Don't like nuts, or can't use them? Leave them out, or substitute more dried fruit.

Stir the dried cherries (and/or cranberries) and their liquid into the fruit/nut mixture.

Stir it all into the cake batter.

A stand mixer (or lots of arm strength) comes in very handy here!

Here are the bake and give pans I'm using. I'm trying an experiment: the ones on the top I've lightly greased; the ones on the bottom, no spray; we'll see how they do, stick-wise.

If you're using small pans, it helps to put them all on a larger baking sheet.

Spoon the batter into the pans, filling them about three-quarters full. A muffin scoop is a good tool for this job.

Pat the stiff batter gently with your wet fingers, to smooth it.

Bake the cakes for 50 to 53 minutes, until they're a light golden brown all over, and a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

Larger cakes will bake longer amounts of time – up to 100 minutes for the full-size bundt cake.

Remove the cakes from the oven. If you're removing them from the pan(s), wait about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack. If you've baked them in paper pans, they can stay right in the pan.

Brush the cakes with 3/4 cup simple syrup, or the flavored syrup of your choice. Alternatively, brush with brandy or rum, or a combination of liquor and syrup.

How much syrup, how much liquor? Up to you; mix ’em together until they taste right to you.

This will seem like a lot of syrup/liquor, but just keep brushing; this is what keeps the cakes nice and moist until Christmas.

Decorate with candied cherries, if you like.

When completely cooled, wrap well and let rest at least 24 hours (or for up to 6 weeks or so, brushing with liquor or syrup weekly), before serving.

Oh, boy... Love those chunks of chocolate with the cranberries/cherries, don't you?

And, remember the “grease” vs. “no grease” experiment with the pans? These slick bakeable paper gift pans don't need to be greased; they peel away from the baked cake quite nicely all on their own.

Read, rate, and review (please) our recipe for Chocolate Cherry-Berry Fruitcake.

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About PJ Hamel

PJ Hamel grew up in New England, graduated from Brown University, and was an award-winning Maine journalist (favorite topics: sports and food) before joining King Arthur Flour in 1990. Hired to write the newly launched Baker’s Catalogue, PJ became the small but growing company’s sixth employee.PJ wa...
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Comments

lolly

November 13, 2019 at 12:52pm

I lost this recipe, just found it. I saw the piece on making it as a bar cake. do i use the syrup mixture still? do I keep it at room temp for this and how far in advance can I make them?

Diane

October 21, 2018 at 10:40pm

I would like to have a chocolate cake batter by adding Valrhona cocoa powder. How much would I add and how would I alter the liquids in this recipe to compensate for the addition of cocoa? Thanks!
nora

January 15, 2012 at 2:50pm

I've altered the recipe because I wanted to use Hisui (Red Sake) to make a fruitcake. This came out wonderfully. While my method of recording recipes isn't really "scientific," it works for me when I'm altering one for slightly different ingredients and for our tastes. After three experiments, here's what I came up with... Hisui Cake 8 oz dried cherries, coarsely chopped 8 oz dried cranberries 8 oz dried blueberries 1 cup hisui (red sake) **Mix - microwave about 1.5 minutes, stir, let rest 15 minutes or so - repeat this step 3 or 4 times - set aside to thoroughly cool (plumping up dried fruit) 10 oz candied cherries, coarsely chopped 8 to 10 oz pistachios, roasted & salted, coarsely chopped 2 cups chocolate chips **These are the rest of the mix-ins. **Before mixing up the cake batter, mix all of the mix-ins together - try to get as even distribution as possible **Preheat oven to 325 F while mixing up the cake batter 3/4 c unsalted butter 1.5 c sugar 1.5 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla, or use more if you’d like **Cream all of these ingredients together 3 large eggs **Add to creamed mixture one at a time, mixing throughly after each egg 2.5 c plain unbleached flour 1 c milk at room temperature **Alternate adding flour then milk to mixture, beating thoroughly each time - end with flour **Dump in roughly half of the solids, mix thoroughly using a large spoon **Repeat ((Bake, NOTE baking time is dependent on the pans that you use - I used small give-away loaf pans. You can use regular sized loaf pans (2), a large bundt pan (1), 2 small bundt-style pans, or whatever you like (even large muffin pans). When a cake tester comes out clean, they’re done. **While cooling, poke holes (I use a very small knitting needle) and drizzle with more hisui or simple syrup (repeatedly, as much as you’d like) **When completely cool and you’re tired of drizzling, place in plastic bags or some other form of tightly sealed container, let age in refrigerator for 5 to 10 days (they keep a long time in the refrigerator) Wow, thanks SO much for sharing here - I definitely have to try this one... PJH
emsbutler

December 10, 2011 at 5:06pm

Hi, I just made this and it is cooling on the counter. When you say to wrap and let rest ... do you mean let it sit at room temp, or in the fridge? How do you know what can sit out, what needs refrigeration? This recipe does have milk in it. Wouldn't that make the fruitcake spoil if at room temp for several weeks? I am unclear on the science of this. Good question. I believe the basic science at work here is that the amount of sugar keeps the cake from spoiling. Same way you can keep milk-confectioners' sugar frosting at room temperature, and it's just fine. Or cookies including milk, like whoopie pies. Hope this helps- PJH
bardocz

December 10, 2010 at 12:36pm

I wondered if you could possibly make these into bars? If so, what size pan(s) would you use and how long would you bake them? You could, but this is a big recipe. I'd start by lining a 9" x 13" pan with a sheet of parchment, greasing that, and filling it to a depth of 1 to 1 1/2". After that take a look at how much batter you have left; if it's about 3 cups, use an 8" square pan for the remaining batter. If it's closer to 4 or more, use a 9" pan. Bake them for 35 to 40 minutes, then check with a tester in the center. If the tester comes out with raw batter on it, reset the timer for 5 minutes, then check again. Repeat as necessary. Susan at KAF.

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