Warm your home with the smell of spices by learning how to make fruitcake. This rich cake loaf is full of fruit and nuts. This holiday treat, when made right, can be served for the holiday season. It will fill your kitchen with the scents of baking blueberries, cherries, apricots, raisins, cinnamon, and brandy. This holiday cake has survived hundreds of years as a yule-time tradition around the world.

To make your fruitcake you will want to start your preparations about 2 weeks before serving to allow the fruit and brandy to age and set properly. This will ensure maximum flavor and is worth the wait!http://www.mademan.com/mm/fruit-cake-recipe-christmas.html Follow these easy steps for how to make fruitcake.

There are several ingredients that are commonly found in fruitcake recipes. These ingredients are dried fruit, nuts, spices and items that will be combined to make the batter for the loaf. Some recipes may call for brandy as an ingredient and to be used as a spray for the fruitcake to keep it moist. If you wish to make a non-alcoholic recipe, you may substitute it with apple juice.http://www.dryit.com/holidayfruitcake.html

Common Ingredients

• 1/8 to 2 cups of dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, cranberries, cherries, figs or prunes totaling 3 1/2 - 5 cupshttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Christmas-Fruitcake-2/Detail.aspx
• 1/2 - 1 cup of walnuts, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg, as desiredhttp://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Christmas-Fruitcake-13549
• 1/4 - 3/4 cup dark rum
• 1/2 - 1 cup of butter
• 1/2 - 1 cup brown sugar (or combination of light and dark brown sugar)http://www.joyofbaking.com/FruitCake.html
• 1-5 eggs
• 1/2 - 2 cups flour
• 1/2 -1 teaspoon of baking powder or 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of milk, if desiredhttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Christmas-Fruitcake-2/Detail.aspx
• 1/2 cup of molasses, if desiredhttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Christmas-Fruitcake-2/Detail.aspx

After you have gathered everything that you will need, it is time to start making the fruitcake batter. You will first want to preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. http://www.joyofbaking.com/FruitCake.html

1. Mix the dried fruits, candied ginger, and the zests in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the rum to the mixture and allow the mixture to be refrigerated overnight
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Christmas-Fruitcake-13549
4. Combine the butter and brown sugar using an electric mixer and beat in the eggs one at a time
5. Drain the fruit mixture
6. Toss fruit in 1/3 cup of the dry ingredients
7. Slowly add dry ingredients to the butter and sugar
8. Fold in fruit and nuts
9. Spread batter into the baking dishhttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Christmas-Fruitcake-2/Detail.aspx
10. Bake for 40-45 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean).
11. Once the cake is removed from oven, leave in pan and baste (or lightly spray) the cake with brandy right away.
12. Allow the cake to cool completely. Then remove from pan carefully.
13. Store cooled cake in air-tight storage container for approx. two weeks for full flavor. During those two weeks, check the cake every 2-3 days and feel for it drying out. If the cake feels dry, lightly spray it with brandy for moisture. The brandy should lightly coat, not soak, the loaf.http://www.dryit.com/holidayfruitcake.html

Once the fruitcake has aged about 2 weeks, it is ready to serve. But if you'd like to make the fruitcake presentation extra special, here's what to do:

1. Make a sugar glaze by combining 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water and heat in a saucepan on medium until the sugar dissolves.
2. Lightly brush the loaf with the glaze.
3. Garnish with nuts, dried fruit, or both!

Fruitcake is a tradition in many different countries and cultures around the world, each with their own slightly unique take on the holiday cake.

United Kingdom- In this area of the world, most fruitcakes will be drizzled with marzipan and royal icing. http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/recipex/msg1211171329219.html Yorkshire fruitcakes are commonly served with cheeses. http://britishfood.about.com/od/introtobritishfood/tp/britishcheeses.htm

Germany- German fruitcakes are known as Stollen, and originated in Dresden. These holiday fruit loaves are usually rum- or brandy-soaked loaves that are sprinkled with powdered sugar. http://www.dresdenstollen.com/about/default.asp Stollen can also go by the names strutzel, stutenbrat, striezel, or Christstollen. http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/Stollen.htm

Switzerland - Swiss birnenbrot or birabrot is bread is chiefly made from pears and nuts, along with usual spices and dried fruits. The loaf is wrapped in a thin dough and is best served sliced with butter. As with most fruitcakes, birnenbrot is a Christmas holiday tradition. http://rosas-yummy-yums.blogspot.com/2007/10/birabrot-or-birnenbrot.html

Italy - Italian fruitcakes are known as panforte, which feature almonds and honey and are baked into a somewhat flat loaf. http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa120397.htm