Baked Fruitcake Donuts
Classic fruitcake gets a modern and tasty spin in these baked Fruitcake Donuts, chocked full of fruit and topped in a brandy glaze.
How Do You Feel About Fruitcake?
Do you cringe when you hear the word fruitcake?
Or, do you try to hide a happy dance, since you're the lone wolf in the family who enjoys that fruit-laden, liquor-soaked cake?
If you love fruit cake, we won't have to convince you that these donuts deserve a place in your December baking lineup. But, even if you're a fruitcake hater, these babies are going to change the way you think about fruitcake.
I mean, who doesn't like a donut?
What is Fruitcake?
Let's get down to the basics.
A fruitcake is simply a cake made with candied and/or dried fruit, nuts, and spices.
That's not so bad now, is it?
Traditionally, particularly the American version, is soaked in liqueurs or brandy, not as a flavoring, but as a preservative.
Two things that we see wrong with the traditionally thought of American version of fruit cake.
First, those brightly-colored candied fruits have been so mal-treated with chemicals and high fructose corn syrup to get them to that state, that they really should be called candy. Nor should they mar the title of fruit.
Second, nowadays, there is no reason to turn a fruited cake into a liquor sponge to keep it from going bad.
Thank goodness for refrigeration!
Our Baked Fruitcake Donuts
We're getting back to basics.
Fruit. Nuts. Spice.
And, just enough brandy to perk up the taste buds.
We're pretty sure baking fruitcake into a donut would tempt even the long-time fruitcake haters to give it a second try in this version.
You just can't resist a donut.
Fruitcake Baked Donuts
Ingredients
- ½ c unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ c whole wheat flour
- ¼ c sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon mace
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoon molasses
- ¼ c milk
- ¼ c brandy
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- 1 egg
- ½ c mixed dried fruits (chopped apricots, raisins, currants, golden raisins, etc)
- 2 tablespoon walnuts, chopped
For the Glaze
- ¾ c sugar
- ½ c brandy
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Melt butter and molasses together in a small bowl in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, add milk, brandy, vanilla, and orange zest. Add egg, and beat until incorporated. Stir in flour mixture until moistened.
- Add fruit and nuts and mix until just combined.
- Spoon batter into greased baked donut pans*, filling ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until firm.
- Remove from pan to a wire rack and cool completely before making glaze.
For the Glaze
- Combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Increase heat to high. Simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes. (Glaze should be just starting to turn from clear to opaque when it is done.)
- Let the glaze cool slightly.
- Dip the slightly cooled donuts into the still runny glaze, and place on a wire rack to let the glaze set up. (It cools fast!)
Notes
Nutrition
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Made these donuts in my new donut pan (see below). I doubled the batch and made eight donuts. I cooked them a little longer as the rings were full. Would reduce amount in each ring to amount stated in recipe. I increased my cooking time due to the extra batter in each of my of donut rings. Note: next time I will be definitely soaking the fruit in the recipes brandy before adding to batter. I used, tiny diced apricots, two kinds of raisins and currents. A good combo with the walnuts and spices. Made the glaze according to recipe.
Pastry Chef’s Boutique - Sasa Demarle Professional Silicone FLEXIPAN Donut Pan Mold - 8 Cavity - Ø 3.5''- Depth:1.18'' - Mold Size 12.2'' x 17.3'' fits a Half Sheet Pan 13''x18''
Great idea to soak the fruit in brandy! We'll give that a try the next time we make them!
I didn't get a fruit cake baked this fall to properly soak, so I'm thrilled to see this recipe. Looks like a Christmas morning treat for me. Merry Christmas!
I made fruitcake baked doughnuts, too!! Yours look yummy!!