Finnish Fruitcake
Ingredients
- Vanilla wafer crumbs or finely crushed almonds for coating pan (optional)
- whole almonds
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel or dried apricots
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied fruits or dried pineapple
- 1/4 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch fluted tube-type cake mold and coat with the crumbs, if desired; place the whole almonds in the bottom into the indentations. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well-blended. Add the eggs and beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine the fruits with the almonds. Add 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture to the fruit and toss to coat well. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat again until light and fluffy. Stir in the fruit-nut mixture. Turn into the prepared cake pan and smooth out the batter. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and dry. Cool 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Makes one 10-inch tube cake.
