Gingerbread Fruitcake
Ever wonder what would happen if dense gingerbread and dark fruitcake got together? This.
It was called coffee fruitcake in a 2005 issue of Gourmet, but doesn’t taste like coffee – you could swap orange juice, or grape juice, which is what my mom used when she made fruitcake decades ago. Or anything, really – but the coffee really does intensify the deep, slightly bitter gingerbread, which contrasts well with the loads of dried currants and raisins. You could, of course, stir in some other dried fruit – I was tempted to add slivered dried apricots, figs and cherries, and may next time, but it is tempting to stick with the ease of just raisins.
If you haven’t managed to make fruitcake yet, there’s still time! It tastes better after a day or two on the countertop.
Gingerbread Fruitcake
AuthorJulie
Preheat the oven to 250°F (yes, this is right!).
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes, until light. Beat in the eggs and then the molasses. It may look curdled - that’s OK.
Put the raisins and currants into another bowl and shake a couple spoonfuls of the flour over them; toss to coat them well. In another bowl, stir together the remaining flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the coffee and baking soda.
Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, then half the coffee, another third of the dry ingredients, the remaining coffee and the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until smooth. Stir in the dried fruit mixture.
Divide the batter between two parchment-lined 9x5-inch loaf pans, smoothing the top. Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The cakes will sink slightly in the middle - that’s OK.
Cool for about 10 minutes and then lift the cakes out of the pans to cool on wire racks. If you can, cool and wrap them well, and store at room temperature for a couple days before you slice them. Makes 2 fruitcakes.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250°F (yes, this is right!).
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes, until light. Beat in the eggs and then the molasses. It may look curdled - that’s OK.
Put the raisins and currants into another bowl and shake a couple spoonfuls of the flour over them; toss to coat them well. In another bowl, stir together the remaining flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the coffee and baking soda.
Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, then half the coffee, another third of the dry ingredients, the remaining coffee and the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until smooth. Stir in the dried fruit mixture.
Divide the batter between two parchment-lined 9x5-inch loaf pans, smoothing the top. Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The cakes will sink slightly in the middle - that’s OK.
Cool for about 10 minutes and then lift the cakes out of the pans to cool on wire racks. If you can, cool and wrap them well, and store at room temperature for a couple days before you slice them. Makes 2 fruitcakes.
Oh my goodness that sounds amazing!
Om nom nom nom you are the QUEEN of culinary mashps, Julie. I am going to stay up late trying this out. Thanks!
I meant mashups! I should not nog and comment, apparently!
Great Recipe I love it. And the using of coffee in the recipe it makes double the fun.
Could I make one 9×5 loaf and then how many small loaf pans would you suggest? How long would you cook the small loaf pans?
Thank you!
Could I make this receipt in mini loaf pans. If so, how long would I need to cook them? I made this recipe last year and LOVED it!
Meant to say Recipe – not receipt!
Mini loaf pans would bake in the same time as muffins… about 20-25 minutes, depending on their size?
This recipe is the one! I made it a few days ago and it was quickly gone. My family loves ginger so I added some candied ginger and it was a hit but would have been just as well received if without the extra ginger. I hate dry fruitcake having grown up with one my mom made that took a month of wrapping it in cheesecloth and dosing with brandy and letting it “ferment”! It still came out dry. This fruitcake was divine! Thank you so much for the recipe, Julie!
Oh yay!! I’m going to make it again – I forgot about it!!