The Non-Horrors of Fruitcake

I am making fruitcake! Usually that’s met with a gasp of horror, but this is Alton Brown’s Fruitcake: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/free-range-fruitcake-recipe/index.html I have tweaked the recipe a little, but it’s basically the same. And there are not creepy glow-in-the-dark radiated bright green chunks.Dried sultanas, cranberries, currants, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, citrus zest, apple cider (which went a bit hard. That worried me until I realized I put ONE CUP of Jack Daniels in this recipe. A little more alcohol isn’t going to hurt things), butter, and Jack simmers on the stove. It makes the kitchen smell like Gløgg. Mmmm…

Pecans toasted in the oven. I don’t toast the ones on top of the cakes. They must get theirs during baking.

Mixing!Portioned into my own little fruitcake pan, bought especially for this service. Little chevrons of pecans are cute here

Done! Now to spray with more Jack and store in the cool pantry until Christmas. They are edible now, yummy in two weeks, but delectable after one month. Because of the alcohol and sugars, nothing will rot or mold or turn rancid. The flavors meld and just become better.