Best Fruit Nut Christmas Pudding Loaf Recipes

CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Christmas Fruitcake image

It's a shame that fruitcake as a species gets such a bad rap. With its two key ingredients--rum and butter--it ought to be a hit. This recipe includes dried fruit, instead of the glowing, candied stuff we've all learned to associate with fruitcake, and is less dense and more cake-like than many fruitcake recipes. It has become a favorite of my friends and family around the holidays (even the skeptical ones), and is delicious by itself, or covered with a layer of almond paste.

Provided by Karen Uffelman

Categories Desserts Specialty Dessert Recipes Liqueur Dessert Recipes Rum

Time P20DT6h57m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

⅛ cup chopped dried cherries
⅛ cup chopped dried mango
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup dried currants
2 tablespoons chopped candied citron
¼ 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
¼ cup dark rum, divided

Steps:

Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup rum for at least 24 hours. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 6x3-inch round pan or loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
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. Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum.
Cut out one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake. Moisten cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. 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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 302.3 calories, Carbohydrate 33.3 g, Cholesterol 54.1 mg, Fat 14.8 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 7.8 g, Sodium 202.7 mg, Sugar 20.5 g

FRUIT AND NUT BREAD PUDDING

Fruit and Nut Bread Pudding image

This recipe started out as a plain bread pudding. My husband, Tom, suggested adding some pecans, then I decided to add the pie filling. These ingredients make the pudding crunchy, moist and even more delicious.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Desserts

Time 1h

Yield 12-15 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

16 slices day-old bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling, slices cut in half
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup butter, melted
Whipped cream, optional

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine bread and sugar. Set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs, milk, cinnamon, salt and vanilla until foamy. Pour over bread and sugar; mix well. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. , Stir in all remaining ingredients except cream. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until firm. Cut into squares. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream if desired.

Nutrition Facts :