If making a fruitcake and waiting a month before you can eat it doesn't float your boat, you might want to check out the Fruitcake Bars that are in the December issue of Everyday Food. These suckers need but a day or two to let their flavors mingle and mellow before they are ready for consumption. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can choose to use the fruits you like, as the recipe simply specifies that you need 5 cups of chopped fruit and lets you figure out what you want to use and in what combination. The full recipe is after the jump...
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brandy
5 cups dried fruit, coarsely chopped (mix and match raisins, apricots, cranberries, dates, prunes, cherries or pineapple)
2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with softened butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; butter paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat brandy until simmering. Remove from heat and stir in fruit; cool to room temperature. Toss brandied fruit with 1 cup flour mixture; set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; mix in vanilla. With mixer on low, add remaining flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in fruit mixture; transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan for 1 hour. Using paper overhang, lift out of pan; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (still on paper). Invert fruitcake and peel off paper, flip upright and cut int 24 diamonds with a serrated knife. Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.
