German Fruit Cake | Holiday Fruit Cake

German Fruit Cake | Holiday Fruit Cake

from gatheredinthekitchen.com
210 min
10 servings

A 70+ year old tried and true family recipe that has been passed on through the generations. A densely rich cake bursting with sweetened fruit and robust spices that is a must make recipe every Christmas season.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs candied mixed fruit
  • 1/2 lb red candied cherries
  • 1/2 lb green candied cherries
  • 1 can crushed pineapple, well drained (20oz)
  • 15.5 oz unsweetened apple sauce
  • 3 tsp baking soda, mixed into the applesauce)
  • 1 box seedless raisins (12oz)
  • 1/2 lb walnut meats
  • 2 tsp allspice
  • 2 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 c sugar
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 4 c flour

Directions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

  2. 2

    Cream butter with electric mixer

  3. 3

    Add sugar, cream well

  4. 4

    Add spices and salt

  5. 5

    Add eggs and beat well

  6. 6

    Add the fruits, alternating with flour - the mixture will become VERY thick. You will need to switch to a heavy duty wooden spoon to mix

  7. 7

    Stir in applesauce

  8. 8

    Line tube pan or large bundt pan with wax paper

  9. 9

    Fill pan 1/2 - 3/4 full

  10. 10

    Bake around 3 hours, checking regularly around the 2 1/2 hour mark with a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready

  11. 11

    Let cool until you can carefully unmold the cake

  12. 12

    *Optional: the original recipe calls for cherries and pineapple rings to be placed on top of the cake once it comes out of the oven. My mother-in-law does not do this

  13. 13

    This recipe makes about 2 cakes! We baked 1 large bundt cake and 1 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan with this recipe