Claire Saffitz Brings Fruitcake BACK | Try This At Home | NYT Cooking

Claire Saffitz is here to walk us through her new recipe for fruitcake, just in time for the holidays. While traditional fruitcake takes weeks to age, Claire's recipe comes together in a couple of hours (not including an overnight soak for the fruit). It’s finished with apricot preserves and then topped with a sweet, citrusy icing.

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[draig]

Our family recipe is an aged fruitcake, usually made in early October. My father claims that anyone who says that they don’t like fruitcake has just never had a proper homemade fruitcake.

[kaistevens]

Claire’s videos are the only thing that has been able to make me feel better in the past three months that have been so incredibly hard and sad. I love the food, the vibes and it’s just comforting and good 😭😭😭

[Yeahthatshowifeel]

How cute was Claire’s mom!! She had no time to waste she was in the middle of playing cards😂

[adb]

As a kid this would’ve been the last thing I would’ve wanted from a cake but as an adult, this sounds very appealing. May have to give fruitcakes another try.

[irishfergal]

Back in Derry, Ireland, , my mother would soak the fruit in Guinness and Jamessons in a jar on the coolest part of the kitchen floor in early November. When it went into the pressure cooker on cooking day, wrapped in cheesecloth, tied into a ball shape, the smell was fantastic. After it steamed and cooled, she pudding (as she called it) smelled divine. Before serving, Dad poured rum over the pudding and set it alight for presentation at the table. Of the nine children (I was the youngest) my oldest brother and I were the only two kids who loved it. Heaving whipping cream, whipped, makes the fruit cake creating supreme deliciousness. Thanks Claire.

[danbev]

Thank you for helping to rescue fruitcake! You are so right in choosing good ingredients. That is key! I love good fruitcake! Oh - another thing Claire is doing right…buttering her Bundt pan! I make Bundt cakes occasionally for fund raisers & found that if I really slather the pan with butter, my cakes slide right out. My amaretto cake made $90 last year!

[roxanneturpin]

Your advice about buttering the pan was so good. I consider myself a talented amature and have been baking for 100 years...seriously! ;) But it never occurred to me that the oil pools. I'm grateful for your graceful instruction and love watching you bake.

[kaygee]

It's such a pleasure to watch Claire. She knows her stuff.

[arilehman]

My mom made homemade fruit cake for years helping her in the kitchen was a fond part of my and my siblings childhood. She made them as office gifts for my dad's coworkers. One year we got a compliant from someone who preferred the liquor without the cake and the family tradition stopped.

[kvdjopfdj]

Rehydrating your raisins in alcohol is also the trick to amazing bran muffins. I soak my currants in sherry before adding to the batter.

[richardengelhardt]

I love fruitcake. This is a great basic recipe. One can experiment with different fruits, nuts, alcohols. Using a Bundt pan and soaking with alcohol when warm are keys to success.

[michaelmcginsie]

I make mine the first of October. Use basically the same fruit, I soak mine for about two days in bourbon or brandy. Base is an applesauce cake batter. Once done I wrap in cheesecloth soaked in bourbon, then plastic wrap and foil. Put in cool dark place like a closet or if you have a basement even better. Usually two weeks before Xmas I will put in fridge. Absolutely the best fruitcake, serve a warm slice with hard sauce or a slice of good cheddar.

[tubecoatue]

I don't know why fruit cake got so hated. I've always loved it; even the bad ones! This one however looks incredibly special. Yum.

[bombdottcom]

Love the shinyness and the snow look! X)

[annehansen]

Made it! With Calvados. It is lovely. Thank you.

[yupperzsonson]

I didn't have time to make your fruitcake recipe again this year and everyone was disappointed. This quickie cake will save the holidays, thank you Claire 😭❤

[darcyjorgensen]

I love fruitcake!! My recipe calls to begin soaking the fruits and nuts in…July.

[EK-xzig]

Always have, always will love fruit cake

[stacheful]

My daughter and I made your Dessert Person Fruitcake last year, and it was truly an experience in cake making and eating. I lovingly referred to the fruitcakes as my drinking buddies from October to December 😊! However, I’m so excited to try this quicker version with all the love and flavor but less time commitment and, maybe, less drinking. ❤

[TheEditorsApprentice]

Who says fruitcakes were gone? I’ve always been here!