Fruitcake Weather Part 3

As I promised yesterday, it is time for the fun part. Sieve off the booze from the soaking fruit and use it to make a drink (or sieve it earlier and use it as the half cup of booze-not as fun but much more economical). Add the drained fruit along with about a cup of mixed candied fruit.

Pecans are the best nut to add but they make me itchy so I used sliced almonds instead. Toss in the whole bag-it's about a cup.

Give the beautiful mess a good mix...

 ...but don't forget to save one cherry to snack on before it touches the gooey part.

Pre-heat the oven while you clean up the mess.

Spray the heck out of three loaf pans and the mini muffin tins. One year I made fruitcake crumble by going easy on the spray-never again.

Fill the pans and poke any fruit under the batter. It dries out and gets crunchy in the oven if you don't. Next year, I think I am going to add less fruit. More cake, less fruit. This year's cakes are a bit too crunchy on top.

When a knife comes out clean, they are done. Let them cool a long time before trying to take them out of the pan or you'll be sorry.

 When they are cool, they need to be glazed. Every year I try something new. Last year's was too sticky so this year I added some currant jelly to thin it out. I used some corn syrup, more rum and a big spoonful of jelly mixed together over a low heat.

It was tart-and boozy. I am not loving it. Next year I will have to try something else.

I may not have made my best fruitcake this year but fruitcake is fruitcake and I love it. The bite sized versions are already gone.

 It will all be gone by New Year's.