 |  |  |
 |  before the "stuff" goes in |  add fruit, nuts & chips |  mix well |  5 mini-loaves before baking |
 after baking |  get glaze in all the holes! |  glaze down all the sides & corners |  goes on white but will dry mostly clear |  packaged to go |
Dark chocolate batter but mostly filled with red cherries ~ chopped pecans ~ raisins ~ glazed orange peel ~ mini-morsel chocolate chip. There's dark unsweetened cocoa powder, plus dark chocolate syrup and a touch of instant expresso to intensify the chocolate flavor in the batter. The brandy glaze does have real brandy but not overpowering ~ just an accent really, where the brandy glaze has pooled during cooling.
These will cut easiest if chilled (in the refrigerator) and I use a serrated knife. You can leave them in the small tins, or take them out. They'll come wrapped in plastic wrap, and then in a Holiday printed plastic baggie. They each weigh about 11-12 oz.
BRANDY CHERRY CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE
3 large eggs…………………………….1 cup dark brown sugar
2 TB molasses………………………….1/2 cup (8 TB) butter, room temp
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour………….3 TB dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder…………………..1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt……………………………… 2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. EACH nutmeg & cloves
2 TB BRANDY ~or~ 1-2 tsp brandy extract
1 cup pecans, chopped small………..1 cup raisins (I like golden)
1 cup candied cherries, chopped……1 cup mini-morsel chocolate chips
1 cup candied citrus peel (preferably homemade)
If you don’t want nuts or candied citrus peel, you can substitute Craisins (dried cranberries) ~ dried mango (diced) ~ fresh tangerine peel (pulsed to bits) ~ chopped dried pineapple
5-10 extra candied cherry halves, to use as garnish (I use red & green) ~ can substitute maraschino cherries if you want ~ or larger sprinkles set on top after glazing
***
Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray a 9x5" loaf pan (or 4 small 5” pans) with non-stick baking spray (containing flour) and set aside.
Beat together butter, sugar, molasses and eggs well. Then beat the baking powder & soda, spices and salt into the egg/sugar mixture. Beat in the cocoa powder. Gradually add the flour until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle.
Fold in the fruits, nuts and chocolate chips. Then spread evenly into the baking pan(s). Put the extra candied cherry halves on top.
Bake large loaf about 40-45 minutes (but check after 30), until a toothpick comes out with only streaks of melted chocolate. Bake the small loaves about 30-35 minutes (but check after 20 minutes). DON’T OVERBAKE.
Poke holes in top of the cakes. Brush the BRANDY GLAZE on top of the HOT LOAVES (make sure it goes down the sides and into any cracks & the holes).
BRANDY GLAZE : Whisk together about 1 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 TB BRANDY (or can use 1-2 TB orange juice with a few drops brandy extract. Whisk in the liquid 1 tsp. at a time, until you get the right consistency.
These will cut easiest if chilled (in the refrigerator) and I use a serrated knife. You can leave them in the small tins, or take them out. They'll come wrapped in plastic wrap, and then in a Holiday printed plastic baggie. They each weigh about 11-12 oz.
BRANDY CHERRY CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE
3 large eggs…………………………….1 cup dark brown sugar
2 TB molasses………………………….1/2 cup (8 TB) butter, room temp
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour………….3 TB dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder…………………..1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt……………………………… 2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. EACH nutmeg & cloves
2 TB BRANDY ~or~ 1-2 tsp brandy extract
1 cup pecans, chopped small………..1 cup raisins (I like golden)
1 cup candied cherries, chopped……1 cup mini-morsel chocolate chips
1 cup candied citrus peel (preferably homemade)
If you don’t want nuts or candied citrus peel, you can substitute Craisins (dried cranberries) ~ dried mango (diced) ~ fresh tangerine peel (pulsed to bits) ~ chopped dried pineapple
5-10 extra candied cherry halves, to use as garnish (I use red & green) ~ can substitute maraschino cherries if you want ~ or larger sprinkles set on top after glazing
***
Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray a 9x5" loaf pan (or 4 small 5” pans) with non-stick baking spray (containing flour) and set aside.
Beat together butter, sugar, molasses and eggs well. Then beat the baking powder & soda, spices and salt into the egg/sugar mixture. Beat in the cocoa powder. Gradually add the flour until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle.
Fold in the fruits, nuts and chocolate chips. Then spread evenly into the baking pan(s). Put the extra candied cherry halves on top.
Bake large loaf about 40-45 minutes (but check after 30), until a toothpick comes out with only streaks of melted chocolate. Bake the small loaves about 30-35 minutes (but check after 20 minutes). DON’T OVERBAKE.
Poke holes in top of the cakes. Brush the BRANDY GLAZE on top of the HOT LOAVES (make sure it goes down the sides and into any cracks & the holes).
BRANDY GLAZE : Whisk together about 1 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 TB BRANDY (or can use 1-2 TB orange juice with a few drops brandy extract. Whisk in the liquid 1 tsp. at a time, until you get the right consistency.
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