Mamma Maculan's Winter Fruitcake

Cozy up this holiday season with Mamma Maculan's Winter Fruitcake, a timeless recipe brimming with festive flavors and heartwarming tradition. This rich and moist fruitcake combines an irresistible medley of dried apricots, figs, cherries, and raisins, perfectly balanced with chopped pecans and walnuts for a delightful crunch. Infused with aromatic orange and lemon zest and soaked in brandy, each bite bursts with layered sweetness and depth. Gently spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and baked to perfection, this fruitcake exudes warmth and nostalgia. Ideal for holiday gatherings or as a homemade gift, this labor of love tastes even better after resting overnight to let the flavors truly shine. Celebrate winter’s bounty with this crowd-pleasing classic that’s sure to become a seasonal favorite.

Nutriscore Rating: 53/100

Prep Time:40 mins

Cook Time:90 mins

Total Time:130 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup Dried apricots
• 1 cup Dried figs
• 1 cup Raisins
• 1 cup Dried cherries
• 1 cup Pecans (chopped)
• 1 cup Walnuts (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Orange zest
• 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
• 0.5 cup Brandy
• 1 cup Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup Granulated sugar
• 4 Large eggs
• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon Ground cloves
• 0.5 cup Milk

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

Step 2

Chop the dried apricots, figs, raisins, and cherries into small pieces. Place them in a bowl along with the chopped pecans, walnuts, orange zest, and lemon zest.

Step 3

Pour the brandy over the fruit and nut mixture, stir well, and let it soak for at least 30 minutes to meld the flavors.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Step 5

Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Step 6

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves.

Step 7

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing gently after each addition.

Step 8

Fold the soaked fruit and nut mixture into the batter until evenly distributed.

Step 9

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Step 10

Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Step 11

Let the fruitcake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 12

For best results, wrap the cooled fruitcake in plastic wrap and let it rest overnight before serving to allow the flavors to meld even further.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1804.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	6564.4

Total Fat 379.6g	0%
Saturated Fat 142.5g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 1271.6mg	0%
Sodium 850.8mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 689.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 49.9g	0%
Total Sugars 420.2g
Protein 95.1g	0%

Vitamin D 330.3IU	0%
Calcium 834.3mg	0%
Iron 28.1mg	0%
Potassium 4266.5mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 52.1%

Protein: 5.8%

Carbs: 42.1%