I despise fruitcake, but I have made it for friends and family members who love it. Generally, I make mine with bourbon or brandy but here is a recipe for fruitcake made with rum. Enjoy.
Royal Christmas Fruitcake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 and 1/2 cups currants
1 and 1/2 cups golden raisins
1 and 1/2 cups diced mixed candied fruit and peels
1 cup candied red and/or green cherries
1/2 cup almonds, ground
4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
Generous 1/2 cup rum
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup rum
1 8-ounce can almond paste
1 recipe Royal Icing (recipe follows)
Grease bottom and sides of 2 9-inch round baking pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper, grease paper and sprinkle bottom and sides of pans lightly with flour. Set aside.
Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in currants, raisins, fruits and peels, cherries and almonds. Set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly with a fork. Add sugar, butter, 1/2 cup rum and lemon juice; stir until combined. Stir egg mixture into fruit mixture and pour into prepared pans.
Bake in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (Cover pans loosely with foil after an hour to prevent overbrowning, if necessary.)
Cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes, then loosen edges of cakes and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
Wrap each layer in 100% cotton cheesecloth moistened with additional rum, then wrap in foil and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Periodically moisten cheesecloth with additional rum, as needed.
When ready to serve, unwrap cake layers. Spread one layer with half of the almond paste, then with about 3/4 cup of Royal Icing. Top with second layer and spread that layer with remaining almond paste. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining Royal Icing.
Let stand for at least 30 minutes to allow frosting to set and serve within 2 hours of frosting.
Royal Icing
Combine 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup meringue powder and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed for 7-10 minutes, or until very stiff. Use immediately; covering icing in bowl with plastic wrap to prevent drying while you're working.
