Tropical Fruitcake

 

 

 

 

 

 

The selection of fruits and nuts you use in a fruitcake could change the taste and theme of the cake. I have always wanted to create a fruitcake inspired by the tropical flavors I grew up with. After a few trials, I came up with this recipe which uses tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, papaya, kiwi and coconut. This fruitcake also has a bit of spiciness due to the addition of ginger and cloves. If like me you are in love with tropical flavors, this is one fruitcake recipe you should try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

For Pre-Soaking:

(1) 1 Cup Brandy

(2) 700 Grams Dried Tropical Fruits (See Note 1)

(3) 110 Grams Mixed Peel

(4) 100 Grams Dried Crystallized Ginger

(5) 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

(6) 1/2 Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg

(7) 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger (See Note 2)

(8) 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

(9) 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

(10) The Zest of 1 Lemon

(11) 1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar

(12) 100 Grams Chopped Cashew Nuts (See Note 3)

For Cake:

(1) 250 Grams All Purpose Flour

(2) 250 Grams Dark Brown Sugar

(3) 250 Grams Unsalted Butter (Soft)

(4) 100 Grams Sweet Coconut Flakes

(5) 5 Large Eggs

(6) 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

NOTES:

(1) Use tropical fruits like Kiwi, Mango, Pineapple, Dates, Papaya, et cetera. Use any blend of dried tropical fruits you have access to or like.

(2) You can leave out the ground ginger if you do not want a strong ginger taste. Grated fresh ginger can also be used.

(3) You can substitute cashew nuts for any other nuts of your choice. Almonds, walnuts and pecans would be great substitutes.

PROCEDURE:

Pre-Soak:

(1) Chop all the fruits and place them in a sauce pan along with all the other ingredients. Bring the mixture to boil, reduce the heat to low and allow it to cook for 10 minutes, stirring every once in a while. Take the mixture off heat, allow it to cool down, put it in an air tight container and place in the fridge for a week. Stir the mixture every couple of days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baking the Cake:

(1) After a week, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Grease and line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch round pan with removable bottom with parchment paper. The parchment paper should extend about an inch above the sides of the pan. A spring form pan can also be used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2) In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour, baking powder and sugar and mix to combine all the dry ingredients together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3) Next add the soft butter to the mixture and beat at medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4) Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Use your rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl at intervals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(5) Next, pour in the soaked fruits and the coconut flakes and mix them into the batter. This can be done with a spatula.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6) Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press it down into the pan. Optional, arrange some cashew halves on top of the batter. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 3 hours. After 3 hours, place a round piece of parchment paper over the cake and bake for another hour or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Total baking time = 4 hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(7) Remove the cake out of the oven and leave it to cool down completely before taking it out of the pan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(8) This fruitcake is best aged for at least 3 months. Preferably longer. My aging alcohol of choice here is brandy. You can also use spiced rum. I have a detailed note here on how to age fruitcakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more fruitcake recipes such as citrus fruitcake, traditional English fruitcake, Caribbean fruitcake, et cetera, click here.