Fruity Christmas Cakes In The Makes

Ingredients

• ⅛ cup chopped dried cherries
• ⅛ cup chopped dried mango
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup dried currants
• 2 tablespoons chopped candied citron
• ½ cup dark rum
• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ¼ cup chopped pecans

Step

1. Step 1:

   Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup rum for at least 24 hours.

2. Step 2:

   Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.

3. Step 3:

   Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a round pan or loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.

4. Step 4:

   In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into butter and sugar in three batches, alternating with molasses and milk.

5. Step 5:

   Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

6. Step 6:

   Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

7. Step 7:

   Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of rum.

8. Step 8:

   Cut out one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake.

9. Step 9:

   Moisten cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it.

10. Step 10:

    Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper

11. Step 11:

    Place in an airtight tin, and age for at least 10 weeks. If storing longer, douse with additional rum for every 10 weeks of storage.