DRIED CHERRY-ALMOND FRUITCAKE

Dried Cherry-Almond Fruitcake image

Yield Makes 20 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Cake
1 1/2 pounds pitted dried Bing cherries
1 1/2 pounds dried apricots, chopped
1 pound slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup golden raisins (about 5 ounces)
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons amber rum
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Syrup
2/3 cup amber rum
1/3 cup pure maple syrup

Steps:

For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter nonstick angel food cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Toss first 4 ingredients with 1/2 cup flour in large bowl to coat.
Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in another large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in rum, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in dried fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pan, flattening to eliminate air pockets. Bake until tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean and cake is deep golden brown, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes.
For syrup:
Whisk rum and maple syrup in bowl. Spoon half over warm cake in pan. Let stand until absorbed. Cut around cake to loosen; invert onto platter. Peel off paper. Spoon remaining syrup over cake. Let stand about 4 hours. (Can be made ahead. Cover and store at room temperature 1 day or chill up to 1 week.)