Oxford Fruitcake

Name: Oxford Fruitcake
Yield: One 11 x 17-inch cake, about forty 2-inch squares
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 ounces each dark raisins, golden raisins, and currants; 8 ounces each dark raisins, golden raisins, and currants; 4 ounces each walnut halves, pecan halves, and whole almonds; 8 ounces each dark raisins, golden raisins, and currants; 8 ounces each dates, dried figs, and mixed candied fruit; 8 ounces each dates, dried figs, and mixed candied fruit; 4 ounces each candied cherries and candied pineapples; 4 ounces each candied cherries and candied pineapples; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 4 ounces each walnut halves, pecan halves, and whole almonds; 4 ounces each walnut halves, pecan halves, and whole almonds; ½ cup dark rum or brandy, plus extra for the cake; ½ cup dark rum or brandy, plus extra for the cake; 8 ounces each dates, dried figs, and mixed candied fruit; One 1-pound box (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting work surface 1 cup light corn syrup; ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; One 1-pound box (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting work surface 1 cup light corn syrup; 1 pound almond paste; 4 large eggs; 1 cup dark brown sugar

Preparation info

One
11 x 17 inch cake squares

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

How to Bake

By Nick Malgieri

Published 1995

About

This has been my favorite fruitcake since I first tasted it when I was in my teens. The recipe is adapted from one given to me by Daphne Giles, the British sister-in-law of my childhood friend, Noel Giles. Daphne comes from Newbury, near Oxford, and prepared this every year for Noel’s Christmas Day birthday.

Ingredients

8 ounces each dates, dried figs, and mixed candied fruit
4 ounces each candied cherries and candied

Americas
Europe
United Kingdom
United States
Newbury
Vegetarian
Cake
Mediterranean

Method

Pick over the dates for pits and cut them into ½-inch pieces. Stem and cut the figs into ½-inch pieces. Rinse all the candied fruit in cold water and cut the pineapple in ½-inch pieces. Combine with the remaining fruit and nuts and toss with ½ cup rum or brandy. The mixture may be left covered with plastic wrap for several days at this point.
When you’re ready