Hello, friends!
The holiday season is here, and that means it’s time for some festive baking!
Today, I’m excited to share my delicious Christmas fruit bundt cake recipe.
It’s packed with fruity flavors and holiday spices—perfect for spreading cheer!
This cake is sure to impress your family and friends.
Let’s dive right in and get that kitchen ready!
Suggestions for Ingredient Substitution
For the mixed crystallized fruits, a combination of dried cranberries, apricots, and figs can be used as a substitute. This alternative provides similar sweetness and texture while offering a diverse flavor profile. Adjust quantities to match the original weight.
Pecans and walnuts can be replaced with almonds or hazelnuts for those with specific nut allergies. These substitutions maintain the crunchy texture and nutty flavor while providing similar nutritional benefits. Use an equal weight of the chosen alternative nuts.
Dark corn syrup can be substituted with honey or maple syrup for a more natural sweetener option. Use the same amount as called for in the recipe, but note that this may slightly alter the flavor and moisture content of the cake. If using honey, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F to prevent over-browning.
| Preparation Time | 30-45 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 60-90 minutes |
| Total Time | 90-135 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 3000-3200
- Protein: 35-45 g
- Fat: 140-160 g
- Carbohydrates: 450-480 g
Ingredients
- 8 oz pecans
- 8 oz walnuts
- 15 small jarred cherries (48g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
- 1 1/4 lbs mixed crystallized fruits (367g)
- 12 oz pitted dates, coarsely chopped (340g)
- 3 oz raisins (85g)
- 2 oz sliced pineapple, diced (57g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (132g)
- 1/2 cup butter (113g)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup dark corn syrup (60ml)
- 1/8 cup juice from the canned pineapple and jarred cherries (30ml)
Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Bundt Pan
Begin by preheating your oven to 250°F (121°C) to ensure it’s ready when you assemble your cake.
Liberally butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan to prevent the cake from sticking.
Set aside 8 of the prettiest pecans and walnuts to line the bottom of the Bundt pan later, along with an equal number of cherry halves.
Step 2: Prepare Nuts and Fruits
Carefully check the remaining pecans and walnuts for any bits of shell, removing them if present.
Roughly chop these nuts for easy mixing.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped nuts with crystallized fruit mix, chopped dates, raisins, and pineapple.
Toss everything with 1/4 cup (31g) of flour to coat the fruits and nuts well; this helps distribute them evenly in the batter.
Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the remaining flour, baking powder, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and salt.
This will ensure your spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the cake.
Set this dry mixture aside for later use.
Step 4: Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
This process builds the base of your cake batter, providing a smooth texture and flavor.
Step 5: Combine Wet Ingredients with the Dry Mixture
Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Add the egg yolks to the creamed sugar and butter mixture.
Add in the Karo syrup, fruit juice, and your prepared flour mixture.
Mix everything together well, ensuring a consistent batter free of lumps.
Step 6: Fold in Egg Whites and Fruit Nut Mixture
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they become foamy.
Gently fold these beaten egg whites into your batter, followed by the previously prepared fruit and nut mixture.
Be careful to fold rather than stir aggressively to maintain the airiness provided by the egg whites.
Step 7: Assemble and Bake the Cake
Line the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan with the reserved pecans, walnuts, and cherry halves for a decorative touch upon unmolding.
Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven until done, ensuring a rich and flavorful fruitcake ready to be enjoyed!
This can typically take several hours.
Enjoy your homemade Bundt fruitcake!
