Mia Kouppa

https://miakouppa.com

Greek style fruitcake

A traditional fruitcake made with Greek inspired flavours.

Prep Time12

Cook Time2

Cooling time30

Total Time14 30

Course: Bread, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Greek

Servings: servings

Calories: 423kcal

Author: Billie Bitzas

Equipment

1 9 inch spring form pan
2 loaf pans
Parchment paper
Mixing bowls
Stand mixer or hand held mixer optional, but helpful
Sifter to sift dry ingredients
Sieve to drain fruit

Ingredients

1 cup dry currants Zante raisins
2 cups Sultana raisins
1⅔ cups Thompson raisins
1⅔ cups dry figs, chopped
1 cup dry apricots, chopped
¾ cup Metaxa, Greek brandy
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 cup butter, unsalted room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 tbsp grated orange zest
2 tbsp Metaxa approximately
1½ cups walnuts, chopped
⅔ cup ground almonds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine all of the dry fruit with Metaxa. Toss to combine and cover your bowl. Allow to sit at room temperature for 12 hours.
1 cup dry currants, 2 cups Sultana raisins, 1⅔ cups Thompson raisins, 1⅔ cups dry figs, chopped, 1 cup dry apricots, chopped, ¾ cup Metaxa, Greek brandy
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Position your rack to the middle of your oven. Grease your springform pan with a bit of butter, add a round of parchment paper to the bottom and then grease your parchment paper as well. Set aside.
Sift together your dry ingredients. Set aside.
2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground ginger
Using your mixer set at medium speed beat together your butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in your eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the orange zest with your last egg.
1 cup butter, unsalted, 1 cup brown sugar, packed, 4 large eggs, 2 tbsp grated orange zest
Meanwhile, strain your dry fruit in a fine colander or sieve and reserve any of the liquid. Measure the liquid and add enough Metaxa to reach 2 tablespoons. Add the Metaxa to your mixing bowl and beat until well combined.
2 tbsp Metaxa
Toss the dry fruit with ⅓ cup of the flour mixture until well coated. Add the remaining flour to the bowl with the butter in 3 or 4 additions, mixing well after each addition until just combined. Next, with a rubber spatula fold in the ground almonds, chopped walnuts and dry fruit. This will look impossible, but you can do it!
1½ cups walnuts, chopped, ⅔ cup ground almonds
Transfer the fruitcake batter to your prepared springform pan. Smooth the top and press down to ensure that there are no pockets of air within the batter.
Fill 2 loaf pans with water and place them in the oven allowing for enough room between them for your springform pan. Place fruitcake in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Rotate your fruitcake and bake for another 30 minutes. Then cover it loosely with aluminum foil and bake for an additional half hour. Total baking time is 2 hours.
Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack, in the pan, for 30 minutes. After this time, release the sides and invert the fruitcake onto a rack. Remove the bottom and parchment paper and then turn the cake right side up to cool completely.

Notes

This cake can be made 2 months ahead. Wrap it well in plastic wrap, then foil and store it at room temperature. Fruitcake can also be frozen.

Nutrition