Island Tropical Fruitcake

By Sonia R. Martinez

Fruit cake (or fruitcake) is traditionally a dark and dense cake made with chopped candied or dried fruit, nuts and spices, and usually wrapped in linen and soaked in spirits for several weeks.

Comedians have made fun of fruitcakes for many years, calling them doorstops or claiming that there is actually just one cake that gets passed around in each family making the rounds every year.

Whatever your thoughts are about them, fruitcakes have become one of the traditions of the Winter Holiday Season.

During the Victorian era, fruitcakes were served at wedding celebrations as “groom’s cake.” The tradition was to put a piece of cake in a small box, and give a box to the unmarried women attending the wedding who put it under their pillow, giving them the hope that they would find a husband.

What we know today as a fruitcake started as far back as early Roman days as a way to preserve a type of bread made with barley mash by adding pine nuts, raisins, and pomegranate seeds to the mix. During the Crusades in the Middle Ages, honey, spices, and preserved fruit were added. This is the version that comes closest to fruitcakes in our time.

Through the years, other versions have appeared. What they all seem to have in common is a spice cake base with lots of fruit and nuts. By substituting the traditional glazed citron, pecans, or walnuts with locally available fruit and nuts you can bake your own version of a Tropical Fruitcake.

All of the fruit and the nuts can be found at your nearest island farmers markets. Buddha hands (a fragrant citron variety with finger-like fragments of fruit), though not seen often, are available in some of our markets during season. They are all peel and pith, with no pulp at all, and all parts can be used. The peel can be candied and the zest can be used as a condiment. The white pith is not bitter and the fingers may be cut off and then sliced lengthwise, peel, pith, and all, and used in salads or served with fish.

First the Fruit

Start 1–2 weeks before you bake the cakes by selecting and chopping your fruit and nuts and macerating them in spirits.

5 cups dried or fresh tropical fruits, chopped and mixed (I used sliced and chopped Buddha hand fingers, pineapple, mango, papaya, and candied ginger)
1 1/2–2 cups spirits (brandy, rum, fruit wine)
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped and toasted

Put the chopped fruit in a large glass jar (I used a 1/2 gallon Mason jar) and add the spirits; cap and store in fridge for minimum of 1–2 weeks.

When ready to bake the fruitcakes, empty the contents of the jar into a non-reactive saucepan (material that will nor react with acidic ingredients: stainless steel finish or non-stick pans are good examples) and bring to a slow boil at a low temperature and cook until liquid evaporates and fruit is soft and translucent. Mix in the nuts and then set the whole thing aside to cool while you mix the batter.

Then the Cake

Preheat oven to 325°F if using a heavy bundt pan, 350°F for loaf or baking pans.

Butter 6 mini-loaf pans or a bundt cake mold and dust with white refined sugar, not powdered. This gives the surface of the fruitcake a nice slight caramelized crunchy texture.

1 C milk
1 dollop sour cream
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 C bleached all-purpose flour
1/4 C cornstarch
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (I used fresh grated)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger (I used fresh grated)
2 C dark brown sugar
1 C unsalted butter, room temperature

Mix the milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract.

In a separate large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add the softened butter into the dry ingredients until it turns sort of crumbly. Add one-third of the milk mixture and beat or whisk until smooth. Repeat twice until all liquids are mixed into the batter. Add the fresh grated ginger (if using) and sugar. Beat again until completely incorporated. Add the fruit and nut mix and incorporate well with a large whisk or spatula.

Pour batter into pan or mold(s) and bake for about 40 minutes or until toothpick or clean bladed sharp knife comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes on a cooling rack. Unmold, brush with spirits, cover tightly with linen cloth that has been doused with spirits; seal tightly into a lidded storage container or wrap in foil. Let it rest a few days before serving.

It’s delicious when served with a creamy dollop of thick yogurt that has been slightly sweetened with confectioners’ sugar and a bit of liliko‘i juice added.

These make wonderful holiday gifts.

Hau‘oli La Ho‘omaika‘i, Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou to all! ❖

---

Photo by Sonia R. Martinez

Contact writer Sonia R. Martinez: SoniaTastesHawaii.com