Chocolate Fruitcake

Photo Credit
Maksim Gusarov/shutterstock
The Editors
Yield
Makes 1 cake
Course
Preparation Method
Credit
Deborah Papier
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More a cake than a fruitcake, this winning combination of chocolate and dried cherries will keep for up to a week stored in a tightly covered container. Choose from either vanilla or chocolate glaze on top!

Cake:

Ingredients
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Instructions

FOR CAKE:
1. Cover cherries and raisins in hot water and soak for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch tube or Bundt pan, line with wax paper, and grease wax paper.
3. In a bowl, add butter and sugar and beat until creamy. Add cocoa powder, egg yolks, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and cinnamon and whisk to blend. Beat the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture alternately with 1/2 cup of water, until smooth.
5. Beat egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the batter.
6. Drain cherries and raisins and stir them, along with nuts, into the batter.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool and frost with chocolate or vanilla glaze.

Chocolate Glaze:

Ingredients
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
Instructions

FOR GLAZE:
Melt unsweetened chocolate and chocolate chips in a double boiler over hot water. Stir in butter, one tablespoon at a time. Add corn syrup, stirring mixture until it reaches spreading consistency.  

Vanilla Glaze

Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Instructions

FOR GLAZE:
In a bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, starting with only 3 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk if thinner consistency is desired.

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The Old Farmer's Almanac Editors

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