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      Best Holiday Fruitcake

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      This easy fruitcake is perfect for the holidays. It’s light, tender, and full of dried fruits and nuts. Sprinkle the loaf with brandy, or leave it out! Either way, this fruit cake is a welcome addition to the holiday table.

      Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

      Are you a fruitcake lover? Though this traditional holiday cake is often maligned (I guess some people don’t like candied fruit?), it’s wonderful when well prepared.
      This fruitcake is our family’s favorite, packed with dates, walnuts, raisins, and glazed cherries. Think raisin bread, on steroids. The recipe comes from the wife of a family friend, Patricia, who for years sent us a loaf every Christmas.
      We usually have to make at least two loaves—one to eat right away because we just can’t wait, and the other to sprinkle with brandy and save for Christmas day. These loaves also make terrific gifts.
      Video! The Best Holiday Fruitcake

      How to Make Fruitcake
      Fruitcake is really just like any other quick bread or loaf cake, only with a lot more fruit and nuts added. You make a simple cake batter, stir in the fruits and nuts, and bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
      The resulting cake is dense and looks like a beautiful mosaic when sliced, with fruits and nuts in every bite.
      You can sprinkle the cake with liquor (we like brandy), or leave it alcohol-free. The liquor will make the fruitcake more moist, and will help it last longer.
      Tips for the Best Fruit Cake
      Toss the fruits and nuts in flour before mixing them into the batter. This will help keep them evenly distributed throughout the cake during baking.
      Place a pan of water in the oven alongside the fruitcake. This will help with a more even, gentle cooking.
      It’s best to slice this fruitcake with a knife with a serrated edge, such as a bread knife.

      How Long Does Fruitcake Last?
      Fruitcake lasts longer than most other cakes because it is filled with nuts and candied fruit. It will last even longer if you sprinkle it with a spirit like brandy. Just keep it tightly wrapped.
      Without brandy, the cake will last tightly wrapped a week or more.
      With brandy, the cake can last a month or more.
      How to Store and Freeze Fruitcake
      Cool the fruitcake completely, poke a few holes in the top of the cake and sprinkle it with brandy if desired. Wrap the loaf tightly with aluminum foil and store it on the counter.
      To freeze, wrap the loaf in plastic and then in aluminum foil and freeze for up to three months.
      More Festive Holiday Treats

      Updated December 20, 2020 : We added a new video to help you make the best fruitcake ever. No changes to the original recipe.

      Best Holiday Fruitcake Recipe

      Best to slice this fruitcake with a knife with a serrated edge, such as a bread knife.

      Ingredients
      1 teaspoon baking soda
      1 cup (236 ml) full fat sour cream
      1 cup (130 g) chopped dates
      2 cups (280 g) raisins
      1/2 cup (75 g) chopped glazed cherries (can sub dried sweetened cranberries)
      1 cup (100 g) chopped walnuts
      2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour [divided into 1/4 cup (30 g) and 1 3/4 cups (130 g)]
      1/2 cup butter (1 stick, 113 g)
      1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
      1 large egg, room temperature
      Grated rind of one orange
      1 teaspoon salt
      1 to 2 ounces (30 to 60 ml) brandy (optional)

      Method

      1 Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with greased parchment paper or brown baking paper, cut to fit the pan.
      Place one piece to run the length of the pan and stand up above the rim about an inch. Place the other piece or pieces to cover the other sides. When the cake comes out of the oven, you can easily remove it by holding the sides of the paper and lifting the cake out of the pan.

      2 Mix together sour cream and baking soda: In a small bowl, mix together the baking soda and sour cream; set aside.

      3 Toss the fruits and nuts with flour: Combine the dates, raisins, cherries, and nuts with 1/4 cup of the flour and toss to coat the fruit and nuts. Set aside.

      4 Make the fruitcake batter: Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the egg, then the orange rind, then the sour cream/baking soda mix.
      Add the flour and the salt and mix together. Combine fruit/nut mixture with creamed ingredients and mix well to distribute the fruit and nuts evenly.

      5 Bake the fruitcake: Scoop the batter into a prepared 5×9-inch loaf pan, and press down to even the surface.
      Place the batter-filled pan into the preheated oven. Place a separate pan of water in the oven either on a rack underneath the fruitcake or beside it. (The water will help with a more even, gentle cooking.)
      Bake at 325°F (160°C) for approximately 1 1/2 hours to 1 3/4 hours, or until the internal temperature is between 205°F and 209°F, and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Water may need to be replenished during baking. If the top of the fruitcake is getting too browned as it bakes, tent it with some foil.

      6 Cool on a rack: Remove to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Let cool completely.
      Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum to store. If you want, poke a few holes over the top of the cake and sprinkle on a few ounces of brandy or bourbon. This will make the fruitcake more moist and will help it last longer.

      Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

      This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

      Elise Bauer
      Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family’s recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
      More from Elise LEGGI TUTTO

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      Gingerbread Pancakes with Caramelized Pears

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      This holiday season, start a new tradition with gingerbread pancakes. Rich molasses, cinnamon, clove, and ginger added to classic buttermilk pancakes make a short stack worthy of Christmas morning. Top with whipped cream and caramelized pears to make this an extra special treat. Continue reading “Gingerbread Pancakes with Caramelized Pears” » LEGGI TUTTO

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      Chocolate Rosemary Pots de Crème

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      Chocolate pots de crème are deeply chocolaty with luxurious texture. This recipe adds a note of woodsy pine with the addition of rosemary.I recently mentioned how much I value make-ahead desserts during the holiday season. This is yet another that I love. Like most French desserts, it is rich and decadent. This version has a note of pine that seems so fitting for winter. Traditionally, pots de crème are baked in a water bath. This recipe is made on the stove top and skips baking entirely, which speeds up the process but doesn't compromise any of the texture or flavor this dessert is know for.Continued, click to read more… LEGGI TUTTO

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      Easy Breakfast Casserole

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      This easy breakfast casserole is adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand—cheese, veggies, meats—and can be assembled the night before and baked in the morning. Or eaten for dinner—your choice!

      On vacation, having too much fun to realize that nothing has been planned for meals, fridge mostly empty, remembering that uh-oh, I’m the one in charge of feeding my friend’s children that day.
      Oops!
      Open the refrigerator door, see half a dozen eggs, half a carton of milk, some cheddar cheese, leftover sausage from biscuits and gravy the day before, a little broccoli, a leftover ear of corn (cooked).
      Open the freezer and see half a loaf of sliced bread. Saved!
      Whew. I won’t have to reach for the boxed mac and cheese.
      Video! How to Make a Breakfast Casserole

      What is a breakfast casserole?
      Have you ever made a breakfast casserole?
      The basic ingredients are eggs, cheese, milk, and bread. It’s the easiest thing in the world to put together. We have a sausage breakfast casserole on the site that is one of my favorites.
      The great thing about a breakfast casserole is that you can add almost anything you want to the base. Italian sausage is my all-time favorite, but bacon or ham will do, too. Or make it veggie with zucchini, broccoli, basil, and onions.
      The first time I served this to the kids they insisted that it had to go on the website. The name they picked was “Open Fridge Breakfast Bake” because basically that’s what I did—opened the fridge, put everything I could find into a casserole dish, and baked it.

      How to Make a Breakfast Casserole
      To make a breakfast casserole you beat some eggs, add milk and cheese, add cubed bread, add “mix-ins” like mushrooms, veggies, sausage, and herbs, put it in a casserole dish and bake.
      Easy, right? The ingredients basically all come together in one big casserole pan, but there are a few steps I would recommend first:
      If you are using a lot of mushrooms, sauté them a bit beforehand to release some of their moisture.
      You can add cooked, sturdy veggies such as broccoli into the casserole, or put them in raw. If using raw veggies, cut them into smaller pieces and know that they’ll be crunchier if you put them in raw instead of cooked.
      If you are adding sausage or bacon, cook it first before adding it to the casserole.
      The proportions of ingredients are adjustable. If you add more eggs, it will result in a casserole that is more firm and less likely to deflate.
      Day-old or stale bread works best for a breakfast casserole, but if you don’t have any, just leave slices of fresh bread out on the counter to dry for a few hours, or put the slices in a low oven (200°F, 10 min) or toaster for a minute (just enough to dry them a little).
      What to Serve With a Breakfast Casserole
      Breakfast casserole is truly a meal in itself! It has starch (bread), milk, cheese, meat, and vegetables. It can be made for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
      Serve it with some sliced fresh fruit on the side for breakfast, or if making for dinner, a green salad. If you omit the veggies in the casserole, consider serving some sautéed vegetables on the side. Or if leaving out the meat, some crispy bacon or cooked sausages.
      Make Ahead Instructions
      Breakfast casseroles are almost designed to be made ahead. You can assemble the whole thing the night before, put it in the fridge (covered), and bake it the next morning. It’s minimal work when you wake up and a low stress breakfast if you have a group of people to feed.

      How to Keep and Reheat a Breakfast Casserole
      This breakfast casserole will keep for a few days in the fridge, covered. You can microwave it until it’s hot, one serving at a time, or you can reheat the whole casserole in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until it’s heated through.
      Do you have a favorite breakfast casserole combo? If so, please let us know about it in the comments.
      MORE EASY, LAZY BREAKFAST Casseroles

      Updated December 19, 2020 : We added a new video to help you make the best breakfast casserole ever! No changes to the original recipe. Enjoy! LEGGI TUTTO

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      Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

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      A simplified version of the classic French beef stew that contains all of the flavors, but none of the fuss, of Boeuf Bourguignon. Slow cooker beef stew made in a rich red wine, bacon, and thyme braise is now weeknight dinner ready!

      Forget the fuss of a typical Boeuf Bourguignon, but keep all the scrumptious flavors!
      A classic Boeuf Bourguignon, which was made famous by Julia Child in her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, is a beef stew slowly simmered in burgundy wine. While that sounds simple enough, the dish is notorious for having over two dozen steps and requiring niche ingredients like pearl onions.
      I wanted to keep that perfect melding of French Boeuf Bourguignon flavors such as bacon, wine, and thyme, but in a recipe that would be viable for a weeknight meal.

      Behold: Slow Cooker Beef Burgundy!
      In this slow cooker version, beef is cooked gently until tender in a braise of herbs, vegetables, and red wine. The stew is simple to make yet elevated in both presentation and taste. We make swaps throughout, such as replacing pearl onions with white sweet ones and cooking the mushrooms in the stew, rather than sauteing them separately, to take out the intimidation factor of the classic version.

      The Best Wine for Beef Bourguignon
      Burgundy wine is ideal for this dish, and although all Burgundy wines originate from the Burgundy region of France, you may know them under different names.
      In this region, the most common grapes are chardonnay, which is a white Burgundy, and pinot noir, a red Burgundy. Because this recipe uses a red wine, that means pinot noir is the best wine to use in this dish.
      You’ll want to choose a dry pinot that isn’t fruit-forward. High minerality and acid are also ideal to best mimic the characteristics of grapes grown in Burgundy. What matters most, however, is that you use a wine you enjoy because that’s what your stew will taste like and you’ll have three glasses left over that you may want to drink.
      Best Cut of Beef for Beef Stew
      A chuck roast is the standard for beef stews, and this recipe is no different. You don’t need to cut it yourself unless you prefer to; buying beef that’s already been pre-cut is perfectly acceptable here and will yield perfect results.
      Bacon: The Beef Stew Flavor Enhancer
      The bacon in this recipe is more for flavor than texture. Even though you’ll cook it until crispy, hours in the stew will leave it soft and barely noticeable.
      It adds smoke, salt, and that amazingly indescribably umami that enhances all the other flavors of a dish. Because it isn’t adding much texture, you could substitute the bacon with three tablespoons of bacon fat, and sauté the beef in that instead.

      How Long Does It Take to Make Slow Cooker Stew
      The beauty of a slow cooker recipe is being able to separate your prep time from your cooking time.
      Plus, the base of the stew is made directly in the cooker, including the flour used to thicken it, so no additional time is needed on the stovetop. If you prefer even thicker stew, take the lid off for the last twenty to thirty minutes of cook time.
      Prep this stew in the morning, then cook it low and slow all day. Make extra bacon for breakfast (two birds/one stone). Remove the bacon from the skillet then sear the beef in the bacon fat.
      Put the bacon, seared beef, and all remaining ingredients directly into the slow cooker. Leave behind the bacon fat when you scoop out the beef, but don’t stress if some beef has fat clinging to it. One or two tablespoons of bacon fat will only enhance the richness of the dish. You’ll need about 15 minutes to get this all together.
      The stew is ready to eat once the collagen in the beef has broken down enough for you to easily pull it apart with a fork.

      What to Serve With Beef Stew
      Serve it alongside a light salad and crusty bread; the bread will soak up the juices beautifully. If desired, garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, thyme, or marjoram when serving.
      How Long Does Beef Stew Keep?
      This will keep several days in the fridge and reheats easily either on the stovetop or in the microwave. The stew will last in the freezer for up to three months.
      More Beef Stew Recipes LEGGI TUTTO

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      4 Weeknight Dinner Ideas and a Prime Rib Recipe to End All Prime Rib Recipes

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      This month, we welcome back Marta Rivera for more of her meal plans. Marta is a trained chef, mom of twins, an Army wife, and a Simply Recipes recipe tester and developer!
      It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!!
      I don’t know if I’m more excited about Christmas, or about the fact that we only have a week left until we’re out of 2020! (It’s the latter, in case you’re wondering.) But, I am excited to make all of the indulgent holiday recipes which I consider to be a few of my favorite things.
      This week’s recipes are pretty straightforward, easy to double, and freezer-friendly. Well, all with the exception of the prime rib for Christmas Day, but that’s part of the plan. Let’s go easy on the days leading up to the holiday, then go all out with a meal made for a Dickens’ novel. LEGGI TUTTO

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      Chocolate Dipped Toffee Graham Crackers

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      Crisp graham crackers are dunked in rich chocolate and covered with crunchy toffee bits. Toss on some festive sprinkles for maximum holiday appeal.
      This is practically a no-cook, no-bake treat that will be at home on your holiday cookie or candy tray. It’s such a simple, satisfying sweet and kids can help sprinkle on the toffee bits and holiday nonpareils. It really doesn’t get any easier than this!

      The yield is about 24 pieces, which can be divided up into snack bags for cute gifts or stocking stuffers. Who doesn’t love chocolate and toffee together? And with the slightly sweet graham cracker center it’s so crunchable and addictive!

      You can use your favorite graham crackers for this, but I used Honey Maid Fresh Stacks because they are pre-cut into squares. I didn’t even have to break any graham cracker sheets apart! I’m not sure if this was smart or just lazy – or perhaps both (ha!). I could see it being a nice time-saver for busy parents.

      As you drizzle the graham crackers with white chocolate, sprinkle them fairly quickly with toppings  before the chocolate hardens. 

      I think this might become our new holiday tradition! They are so very easy to make and a little too easy to eat. The toffee bits really bring out a buttery note in the graham crackers. 

      If you’re not looking to spend a ton of time in the kitchen this year, but still want to make some holiday treat-making memories with the kids, then this may be the ticket! 

      [click to print]
      Chocolate Dipped Toffee Graham Crackers
      Yields 24 Cookies24 oz. chocolate candy coating (almond bark or Ghiradelli chocolate wafers)
      4 oz. white chocolate candy coating or almond bark
      24 graham cracker squares
      2/3 cup toffee bits (recommend Heath Bits o’ Brickle)
      2-3 tablespoons red and green nonpareilsCover a large work surface with parchment paper.  Transfer the candy coating to a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 100% power at 30 second intervals; stir well between heating until melted and smooth. Place a graham cracker into the melted chocolate and turn using two forks. Lift the graham cracker out of the chocolate with a fork and place on the parchment. Repeat this process with half of the graham crackers. After dipping about 12, the chocolate will begin to harden so re-heat it for about 30 seconds or until it can be stirred smooth. Wash and dry the forks; proceed with dipping the next 12 graham crackers. Allow the chocolate to set up at room temperature, about 20 minutes.Melt the white chocolate candy coating in the microwave as before with the chocolate coating, and transfer it to a disposable piping bag or a zip-top bag. Pour the toffee bits and nonpareils in small bowls and have them ready to hand. Drizzle four chocolate-covered graham crackers with the white chocolate and then immediately sprinkle on toffee bits and nonpareils. Repeat process until all of the graham crackers are drizzled and coated with toffee and sprinkles. Let stand at room temperature until set, about 20 minutes.When the white chocolate is set, peel a graham cracker away from the parchment and break away excess candy from around the edges. Lay on a clean plate or serving platter. Repeat process with all of the graham crackers. Store the coated graham crackers in an air-tight container, or package 6 in each of four clear gusseted treat bags and tie with festive ribbon for gifting.

      link Chocolate Dipped Toffee Graham Crackers By Heather Baird Published: Saturday, December 19, 2020Saturday, December 19, 2020Chocolate Dipped Toffee Graham Crackers Recipe LEGGI TUTTO

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      One Simply Terrific Thing: Rubbermaid’s Commercial Silicone Spatula

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      Kitchen ToolsOne Simply Terrific Thing

      This high heat, commercial silicone scraper from Rubbermaid is a heavy-duty rubber spatula that puts all others to shame.

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      Photography Credit: Marta Rivera

      According to my family and many of my friends, I might be obsessed with rubber spatulas. At present, I have no less than eight in my kitchen drawer. But I call that passionate, not obsessed.
      Do I need eight spatulas? No. Do I feel better about having backups in case something happens to seven of them? Absolutely.
      You don’t need to be as passionate about rubber spatulas as I am, but I strongly recommend you invest in at least one good one, and that would be Rubbermaid’s commercial high-heat spatula.
      Rubber Spatulas vs Silicone Spatulas
      First of all, let’s clear something up: Rubber spatulas are really silicone spatulas.
      While most people (myself included) call all of these “rubber” spatulas, they’re actually made of silicone, which is what enables them to stand up to the higher temperatures. It’s kind of like referring to all food containers as Tupperware.

      The Best Rubber Spatula: Rubbermaid’s High Heat Scraper
      How often have you been left holding the handle of a fractured rubber spatula while attempting to scrape out cookie dough from a bowl?
      Unlike the flimsy spatulas you encounter hanging from a clip display in the baking aisle of your grocery store, this silicone spatula is durable enough to withstand a plunge into the firmest of cookie doughs. I have yet to break one!

      Are they the most decorative items I’ve ever purchased? Not really. But when it comes to getting the job done in the kitchen, I’m not looking for beauty contest winners. These are the very same rubber spatulas I used in commercial kitchens as a newbie chef, so I never doubt they’ll take care of business in my home kitchen.
      They’re also high-heat resistant because the head is made of silicone, which means they can scrape off the sides of those pans of melted sugar.
      I own the 9 1/2-inch and 13 1/2-inch sizes, both of which are ideal for those who do any cooking or baking. Grab the larger one for scraping down large mixing bowls full of batter. The small one is a go-to for smoothing icings or spreads on your next cake or bun recipe.
      For me, a rubber spatula is as essential to a home kitchen as a cook is. However, it’s much more acceptable to have more than one of the former than it is of the latter—at least in my kitchen.

      This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

      Marta Rivera
      Marta Rivera is trained chef with over 20 years in the culinary field and the blogger behind Sense & Edibility. She graduated from the Baltimore International Culinary College with degrees in Culinary Arts and Classical Pastries. Her cookbook is Taste and See Cooks.
      More from Marta LEGGI TUTTO