Mom's Molasses Fruitcake

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Christmas, English, North American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: slices

Calories: 327kcal

Author: Lord Byron's Kitchen

Fruitcakes are one of those holiday confections one absolutely hates or affectionately adores. In many cases, it's because the cake in question is store-bought and topped with that plastic-like white fondant. My mom's homemade Molasses Fruitcake is absolutely delicious!

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Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 large orange, zested
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Measure the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and the zest from one large orange until smooth and fluffy - about 3 minutes.
Beat in the eggs.
Beat in the molasses.
Transfer half of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and beat until just combined.
Add the milk and beat until combined.
Beat in the remaining flour mixture.
Add apricots, dates, cranberries, raisins, cherries, walnuts, and pecans to the batter. Use a spatula to fold those ingredients in until well dispersed.
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Smooth out the batter and tap the pan firmly on a cutting board or your countertop to settle the batter into the pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Depending on the moisture content in the dried fruit, the cake could take 70+ minutes to fully bake.
Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack. Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

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