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brandy aged fruitcake
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4.61 from 74 reviews

Brandy-Aged Fruitcake Recipe

Eileen Gray
Traditional Aged Fruitcake with dried fruits, spice and lots of brandy. This cake should be made at least 4 weeks before serving and can be made 3-4 months ahead of time. Serve unadorned or with the marzipan and fondant to finish.
Prep Time45 minutes
Bake Time55 minutes
Aging Time30 days
Total Time30 days 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings:24 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ oz almonds (½ cup coarsely ground)
  • 3 oz walnuts (1 cup chopped)
  • 12 oz dark raisins (2 ¼ cups)
  • 8 oz light raisins (1 ⅓ cups)
  • 3 oz candied orange peel ( cup)
  • 3 oz candied cherries ( cup)
  • 6 oz zante currants (1 cup)
  • 1 lemon (grated zest juice)
  • 6 oz brandy ( cup (plus more for aging, see note))
  • 7 ½ oz all purpose flour (1 ½ cups, see note)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 6 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 6 oz brown sugar (¾ cup)
  • 4 large eggs (room temperature)

Decoration (optional)

Instructions

  • Combine 1 ½ oz almonds, 3 oz walnuts, 12 oz dark raisins, 8 oz light raisins, 3 oz candied orange peel, 3 oz candied cherries, 6 oz zante currants, with the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Add 6 oz brandy and toss to coat the fruit and nuts with the liquor. Cover the bowl and let it sit overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a 9"x 3" cake pan with a parchment round. (see note)
  • Sift together 7 ½ oz all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ginger and ½ teaspoon table salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream 6 oz unsalted butter and 6 oz brown sugar until light and aerated. Scrape down the bowl and the beater. Add 4 large eggs, two at a time. Mix until combined then scrape down the bowl and the beater.
  • With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 batches and mix until combined. Fold in the soaked fruit and all the liquid.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it out to an even layer. Bake until a toothpick poked in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 55 minutes. As soon as the pan is removed from the oven pour ¼ cup of brandy over the top of the cake.
  • Cool the cake to room temperature before removing from the pan. Wrap the cake in two layers of plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature.
  • Once a week for at least 4 weeks, unwrap the cake and generously brush on all sides with more brandy. The cake can be served as is or you can ice and decorate the cake with marzipan and fondant.

Ice & Decorate the cake (optional)

  • Unwrap the cake. Glue the cake to a cardboard cake circle using a dab of royal icing. Trim the cake cardboard to the same size as the cake. Place on another cardboard circle or serving plate. Ice the cake with apricot preserves.
  • Roll the marzipan to a 14" round. Roll the marzipan onto the rolling pin then transfer and unroll onto the cake. Trim the marzipan flush with the bottom of the cake and board. Brush the marzipan with brandy.
  • Roll the fondant to a 14" round and cover the cake over the marzipan. Trim the fondant flush with the bottom of the cake and board.
  • Add dragees, stencils, glitter and marzipan holly or other decorations as you like.

Video

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
This recipe will make one 9" round cake. You can also divide the batter between two 6" pans for smaller cakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 224IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg