Almost 50 years ago, my grandma started the tradition of baking fruitcakes for the holiday season, the kind packed full of iridescent red and green jelly fruits. She passed them out to all of her friends and neighbors, then shipped the rest to family members.
My parents always looked for to a slice loaf of that special fruitcake. Although she normally included walnuts, Grandma left them out of my parents’ batches because of Mom’s allergy. The loaves came wrapped in cheesecloth and foil to keep them as moist as possible, not dry and crumbly like tradition makes them out to be.
Grandma carefully packed the loaves in her suitcase for when she and Grandpa flew out for Christmas, and my parents always made sure to buy brandy for the occasion. Never to drink… Just to soak the slices in!
With how many servings the adults snuck after lunch, dinner, dessert, and as mid-afternoon snacks, Grandma began bringing an extra loaf or two so they wouldn’t run out before Christmas dinner. They loved their fruitcake!
Last year, my grandma was hospitalized for all of the fall and holidays, so I stood in as the substitute and baked fruitcake cookies to bring out when we flew down to visit the hospital on Christmas. This year, although Grandma is fully healthy again and visiting in a week with Grandpa, I wanted to try making my own fruitcake before she arrived so my parents wouldn’t have to wait until December 23.
This Classic Clean Fruitcake is the result! Although it shares a name with Grandma’s, this one is much healthier than her version. It’s made with entirely clean, wholesome ingredients without anything processed—and nothing iridescent!
Let’s start with the quick bread base. It contains 100% whole wheat flour and just 1 tablespoon of butter. Despite whole wheat baked goods getting a bad reputation for being overly dry, this one is anything but! It’s sweetened with maple syrup, which adds extra moisture, and the Greek yogurt provides all of the tenderness of butter for a fraction of the fat and calories.
Now for the star of the show… The fruit! I selected a variety of dried fruit: cranberries, blueberries, apricots, and pineapple. Each one adds a rich pop of color and unique flavor. Tangy, sweet, classic, and bright. Use whatever you have on hand; no need for a special trip to the grocery store!
But the most important part is to soak the dried fruit in brandy before mixing it into the batter. The longer, the better! I left mine for nearly 24 hours, so every bit of fruit released a hint of brandy’s apple undertones. The fruitcake didn’t need any extra brandy for soaking the slices after baking, but… I’m sure my family wouldn’t object to a little drizzle!
If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, substitute apple juice or white grape juice for the brandy. You must soak the dried fruit in something. Otherwise, it will soak up the moisture from the batter, and the loaf will turn out drier and not so tender.
My mom passed through town last week after a stressful day up in the mountains. When she walked in our front door, I told her I had something sitting on the counter for her. She squinted at the far end of the kitchen, spotted this Classic Clean Fruitcake, and her eyes lit up brighter than a 5-year-old’s on Christmas morning. “Fruitcake???” she practically exclaimed.
I wonder how much of it actually survived the drive back to her own house…
| Classic Fruitcake | | Print |
- 3 tbsp (30g) dried cranberries, chopped
- 3 tbsp (35g) dried blueberries, chopped (if wild blueberries, leave whole)
- 3 tbsp (40g) chopped dried apricots
- 3 tbsp (30g) chopped dried pineapple
- 9 tbsp (135mL) brandy
- 2 c (240g) whole wheat flour (measured correctly)
- 1 ½ tsp (5g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (2g) baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp (4g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp (2g) salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp (10mL) vanilla extract
- ½ c (125g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp (30mL) molasses
- ½ c (120mL) maple syrup
- ½ c (120mL) nonfat milk
- Add the dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried apricots, dried pineapple, and brandy to a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Seal the lid on top, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 1 day. Drain and discard any remaining brandy.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat a 9x5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter and egg. Whisk in the vanilla. Stir in the yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the molasses and maple syrup. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Fold in the drained dried fruit.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the maple syrup.
The dried fruit should soak up approximately 6 tablespoons of brandy, and about 3 tablespoons will be discarded. However, it’s important to completely cover the dried fruit with brandy while refrigerating to ensure that the dried fruit absorbs it equally.
For a non-alcoholic version, substitute apple juice or white grape juice for the brandy.
{clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
More fruitcake recipes from other bloggers…
Holiday Fruitcake by Simply Recipes
Mini Fruitcakes by Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Fruitcake Cookies by A Spicy Perspective
Paleo Chestnut Fruit Cake by The Healthy Foodie
Looks great! Love how healthy it is. I, for one, am a fan of fruit cake, mostly because the homemade stuff is far better than store-bought 🙂
Thank you! I’ve never tried store-bought, but I know how much everyone enjoys Grandma’s, so I’m positive you’re right! 🙂
I’ve never been a fan of fruitcake but you have made it look so enticing. Yours looks so soft and spongy. And the boozy fruit take this cake to a whole new level. Pinned!
Thanks Jen! I think it’s all about finding the right recipe. They don’t all have to be dry, crumbly & strange colors! 😉
I actually LOVE fruitcake! It’s one of my favorite holiday treats, though I tend to eat it for breakfast with a giant mug of coffee 🙂 Love that this is a healthier version and you used whole-wheat flour! I am trying to incorporate more and more whole wheat flour into my baking. Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks Alex! Our family has definitely had more than their fair share of it for breakfast too. I mean, it has “fruit” in the title, so why not? 😉
I’ve never been a huge fruitcake fan but this looks amazing Amy! Good idea to wrap bread in cheesecloth when you ship it. Tell your grandma thanks!
Thanks Karen! Grandma’s always know best. 😉 I’ll tell her you said so!
This fruitcake looks moist and delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you Mira! I’d love to hear what you think if you make it! 🙂
What a lovely way to honor your grandma! I can’t even imagine having a loved one in the hospital around the holidays.
Thank you Brittany! 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful time visiting your dad this holiday season!
real fruit makes all the difference! this look perfect Amy
Thank you Heather!
I’ve never had fruitcake. This is gorgeous!
Thanks Dorothy!
I love that this was inspired by your grandma’s recipe! I bet she’ll be so impressed that you made your own AND made it healthier. The tip about soaking the dried fruit is a great one – I’ve never thought to do that, but it makes SO much sense. You’re so smart, my friend:)
Aww, thanks Sarah! I just have smart moments every once in a while. 😉 Somebody has to take over the fruitcake baking soon, so I have to practice while I can!
This lovely fruitcake of yours looks scrumptious!! 🙂 So moist, and definitely not all dry like you expect from fruitcake! Great recipe, Amy!
Thank you so much Jocelyn! 🙂