Sweet And The Magical Fruitcake

Sweet sends me this recipe for an excellent holiday fruitcake.
I can never do this. By the time I get everything together, the brandy is gone.

Must be evaporation!
Stupid physics.

Ahh, it's just as well. There are plenty of fruitcakes where I work.


Dear Tramp:

It’s fruitcake time!
Now is the time to make that Holiday fruitcake that everyone loves so much. Since I am the official Wine Queen, I felt it was my duty to share a little wine and fruitcake history.

Did you know that Brandy is just distilled wine? Yes that's right, wine.
Did you know that in England, Fruitcake is for weddings?
Well, that’s enough history for today. I need to start my fruitcake while I still have brandy. Below is my very own special recipe for your readers.

Sweet

Sweet’s Brandywine Fruitcake

1/8 cup chopped dried cherries…
1/8 cup chopped dried mango…
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried currants…
2 tablespoons chopped candied citron
1/4 cup brandy…
1/2 cup butter…
1/4 cup packed brown sugar…
1 egg…
1/2 cup all-purpose flour…
1/8 teaspoon baking soda…
1/4 teaspoon salt…
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon…
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses…
2 tablespoons milk…
1/4 cup chopped pecans…
1/4 cup brandy, divided (don’t divide it just keep the bottle handy).

Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup brandy for at least 24 hours. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 6x3 inch round pan, and line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into butter and sugar in three batches, alternating with molasses and milk. Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brandy (I use more).
Cut out one-piece parchment paper and one-piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake. Moisten cheesecloth with lots of brandy. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin, and age for at least 10 weeks. If storing longer, douse with additional brandy for every 10 weeks of storage. (I go for the five-week method myself).