Every part of the world has its own version of fruitcake, each with dried fruit as the star.
In Italy, it’s panettone; in Germany, stollen. In some places, like the United Kingdom, it’s covered in marzipan. The version we have come to either loathe or love in the United States is soaked in alcohol for weeks to impart flavor and prevent mold.
Our updated recipe, albeit not quite a cake, celebrates dried fruit’s unique tastes and textures without soaking or aging. It tastes great alongside meat and cheese or breakfast platters, tucked into lunch boxes or paired with after-dinner spirits.
Its long shelf life makes it giftable as well. Choose a mix of sweet and sour fruits for balance, and feel free to swap out the nuts for your favorites.
This loaf is completely customizable as long as the measurements are the same.
Dried Fruit & Nut Loaf
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups dried fruit a variety of flavors, chopped
- 1 cup dates pitted and quartered
- 1½ cups walnut halves
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup salted pepitas
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°. Line a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar and spices. Add the dried fruit and nuts and toss with your hands until the fruit and nuts are evenly coated in the flour mixture.
- Whisk the vanilla and eggs together in a small bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the dried fruit mixture. Stir until combined and no dry flour bits remain. The mixture will have very little batter.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and press it down, smoothing out the top as much as possible. Bake in the preheated oven for 75 to 80 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Move the loaf to a rack and let it cool completely (about 1 hour) before slicing.
