Citrus & Dark Chocolate Fruit Cake
Adding dark chocolate to a luscious citrus cake full of brandy-soaked fruit is a sure way to overcome anyone's prejudices against traditional fruit cake over the holidays. You may find it popular enough to create more occasions to enjoy it throughout the year.
Ingredients
Fruit Mix
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 cups chopped dried dates
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup currants
- 1 cup brandy
Cake
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 oranges
- 1 lemon juice & finely zested
- 1 lime juice & finely zested
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger finely grated
- 2 cups light brown sugar loosely packed
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
- 6 ounces dark chocolate 70% cocoa or more chopped
Instructions
Day Before
- Combine the raisins, dried apricots, dates, cranberries, and currants wiht the brandy in a bowl.
- Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Next Day
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease and flour a 12-cup tube or Bundt cake pan.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and stir to sift together. Take 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture, and mix in with the brandy-soaked dried fruit. Set aside.
- Add the citrus juices to a small separate bowl. You should have about 3/4 cup.
- In a third bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar, ginger and citrus zest, beating until fluffy and golden.
- Add the eggs one at a time as you continue to beat.
- Fold half the flour mixture into the butter-egg mixture, along with the juices. Fold to blend well.
- Add the remaining flour mixture along with the dried fruits and the walnuts, folding the batter over until it is just combined.
- Transfer the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake about 50 to 60 minutes. A clean knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
