Apricot Chocolate Fruitcake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Marinate Time: 24 Hours

Cook Time: approx.10 minutes

Bake Time: 55 minutes to 65 minutes

Serves: 10 to 12

To Marinate the Fruit

♦ 12 ounces dried apricots, cut into small pieces (makes about 2 cups)

♦ ¼ cup candied ginger, cut into small pieces

♦ zest of one orange

♦ zest of one lemon

♦ 1 cup gold rum

For the Fruitcake Batter

♦ 1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter

♦ 1 cup white sugar

♦ 1 cup unfiltered apple cider

♦ 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

♦ 1 teaspoon ground ginger

♦ ½ teaspoon ground allspice

♦ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

♦ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

♦ 1 ½ teaspoons salt

♦ 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

♦ 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks

♦ ½ cups pecans, broken into pieces

♦ 1 teaspoon baking powder

♦ 1 teaspoon baking soda

♦ 2 eggs, slightly beaten

♦ cognac or brandy for basting

In a bowl, stir together the apricots, ginger, zests, and gold rum.  Cover with plastic wrap and let the fruit mixture marinate overnight.

In a large pot over medium heat, add the marinated fruit and all of its juices, the butter, sugar, and spices.  Cook until the butter is melted, then raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.  Lower the heat back down and simmer the mixture for 6 or 7 minutes.  Turn off the heat, then add the vanilla. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature.  If you wish to accelerate the cooling you can put the pot in the refrigerator, just make sure the butter does not harden.

Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans with butter and then coat them with flour.  This will help to prevent the fruitcake from sticking.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Once the fruit and spice mixture has cooled completely, add the flour, salt, pecans, chocolate, baking powder and baking soda.  Stir everything together thoroughly but do not overmix.  Add the eggs and mix until just combined.  Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and place the pans in the oven.  Bake for 55 to 65 minutes until cooked through, checking with a toothpick or cake tester after 50 minutes.  If the cakes begin to brown too much you can lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top. Remove the pans from the oven and sprinkle the tops with some brandy.  Allow the cakes to cook completely.

To unmold, gently run a knife around the outside of the pans.  If you still feel resistance, repeat this process, prying carefully around the edges with the knife or your fingers.  Once unmolded, sprinkle the bottoms of the cakes with more brandy.  Wrap the fruitcakes thoroughly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.  Check the fruitcakes every 2 to 3 days and baste them with more brandy if they feel dry.  These fruitcakes can be eaten right away, but they will continue to develop more flavor if allowed to sit for at least one week.