The Altitude Adjustment Section
You can laugh at me all you want, but I love a good fruitcake and you really can only get away with eating it once a year. So the time is now. Here is a slightly modern version with some great additions to add to your holiday baking list. I am just about to test it at this altitude so I will update this post later in the week. This is my New York recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup snipped apricots
1/2 cup snipped dried pears
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried currants
1 teaspoon finely chopped orange peel
1/3 cup apricot brandy
1 3/4 cups A.P. flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup room temp. butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped Pistachio nuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup apricot Brandy for glaze
Procedure
In a small bowl, combine apricots, pears, raisins, currants, orange peel, and 1/3 cup brandy and let sit for 2 hours at room temperature, stirring occasionally. Grease and line with parchment a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In bowl of electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Alternately add flour and buttermilk. Stir in fruit and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in 300 degree oven for 75 to 80 minutes till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool ten minutes and turn out of pan. Brush top of cake with 1/4 cup warm apricot brandy using a pastry brush. When cool, wrap cake in a piece of clean cheese cloth which you moisten with more brandy. Now wrap cake in tin foil and then put in a plastic bag. Place in fridge for at least 2 weeks and re-moisten cheesecloth once a week and re-wrap. This makes 16 rich servings. Serve with hard sauce if you dare.
