Heavenly Moist Fruitcake
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup mixed dried fruit (such as raisins, currants, chopped apricots)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans)
1/2 cup orange juice
Instructions:
- Preheat and Prepare:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan (or line it with parchment paper). - Cream Butter and Sugar:
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. - Add Eggs and Vanilla:
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. - Combine Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. - Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet:
Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the orange juice. Mix until just combined; do not overmix. - Fold in Dried Fruit and Nuts:
Gently fold in the mixed dried fruit and chopped nuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter. - Pour Batter into Pan:
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. - Bake:
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can cover it loosely with aluminum foil. - Cool and Serve:
Allow the fruitcake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve!