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Chocolate Fruitcake

Photo Credit
Maksim Gusarov/shutterstock
The Editors
Yield
Makes 1 cake
Category
Bread
Cakes and Frostings
Course
Breads
Desserts
Occasions
Christmas
Thanksgiving
Preparation Method
Bake
Credit
Deborah Papier
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More a cake than a fruitcake, this winning combination of chocolate and dried cherries will keep for up to a week stored in a tightly covered container. Choose from either vanilla or chocolate glaze on top!

Cake:

Ingredients
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Instructions

FOR CAKE:
1. Cover cherries and raisins in hot water and soak for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch tube or Bundt pan, line with wax paper, and grease wax paper.
3. In a bowl, add butter and sugar and beat until creamy. Add cocoa powder, egg yolks, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and cinnamon and whisk to blend. Beat the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture alternately with 1/2 cup of water, until smooth.
5. Beat egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the batter.
6. Drain cherries and raisins and stir them, along with nuts, into the batter.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool and frost with chocolate or vanilla glaze.

Chocolate Glaze:

Ingredients
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
Instructions

FOR GLAZE:
Melt unsweetened chocolate and chocolate chips in a double boiler over hot water. Stir in butter, one tablespoon at a time. Add corn syrup, stirring mixture until it reaches spreading consistency.  

Vanilla Glaze

Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Instructions

FOR GLAZE:
In a bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, starting with only 3 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk if thinner consistency is desired.

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The Old Farmer's Almanac Editors

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Comments

kathy (not verified)

2 years ago

I just read about wax paper vs parchment paper and all articles advise never heat wax paper. Can you explain why this recipe calls for wax paper and what benefit or affect it will have in the preparation of this fruit cake. Articles also mentioned baking with wax paper will ruin your pan, too. I am open to explanation and love to know the how-to and why old methods were used when everyone could not get parchment paper or newer, often more expensive, products. Thank you so much for offering such entertaining articles and recipe ideas.

Hi, Kathy. The reason this recipe calls for wax paper is because parchment paper will not easily fit into a bundt pan to line it. Wax paper is a lot more flexible. It is true that direct heat should never come into contact with wax paper, but if the paper is under batter it will not be exposed. For example, you would never line a cookie sheet with wax paper. However, with all of that being said, if you are nervous or reluctant about using wax paper, just grease the pan extremely well. It should slide out without any issue.