Traditional Newfoundland Fruitcake Recipe

Loaded with fruit and soft pecans, this tried and true fruitcake recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser! With inspiration from older type recipes, it tastes very much like the one my grandmother and I’m sure your grandmother used to make.

I’m sure the flavor will take you back in time reminiscing days gone by.

Of the many memories that is near and dear to me, is the memory of Christmas time at Nannies that really warms my heart.

All of us children would have so much fun playing games and drinking purity syrup while the adults mingled together, it was truly the best.

Cousins, Aunties, Uncles friends and neighbors everybody was welcome. You might even see a mummer or two as there was always a song and dance to spread the Christmas cheer.

Mummering originated in England and Ireland and the earliest record of mummering in Newfoundland dates back to 1819. I think that’s about how old the base of this fruitcake recipe is.

Its every bit as deep and dark and delicious as I remember. I can see my Nanny now with her scarf on her head happy as could be stirring this on the stove. God forbid someone got a hair in their piece of cake.

Truly a work of art and made with an abundance of love like a little hug in every piece.

Once the fruitcake was cooled, nanny would wrap it in cheesecloth that had been soaked in either rum or Brandy.

According to my mother my grandmother enjoyed a little dram of brandy at night. I think she may have even used it to soothe the babies gums when they were teething.

Newfoundland Screech is very popular here but in recent years; I’ve come to like Brandy; its fruity taste pairs very well with the fruit in the cake.

Here’s a link to the Telegram if you want to learn more about mummering in Newfoundland.

https://www.thetelegram.com/lifestyles/local-lifestyles/mummers-parade-keeps-newfoundland-christmas-tradition-alive-organizer-388472/

Wasn’t that fun! On with the cake!

This recipe has 3 videos I will place them below. One showing how to make this delicious cake, one showing you how to wrap the cake and one of the unveiling! I sure hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

How to make traditional Newfoundland fruit cake with rum:

Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/4 cup chopped dried prunes
• 1 & 1/4 cup chopped dried dates
• 1 & 1/2 cup dark raisins
• 1 & 1/2 cup dried cranberries ( Rock recipes uses golden I couldn’t get them)
• 1 & 1/4 cup currents
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries to soak with the cherries
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup mollasses
• 1/2 cup kahulua or very strong coffee
• zest and juice of a large orange
• 1 cup glace cherries
• 1 cup candied citrus peel
• 1 & 1/2 cups of toasted pecans chopped
• 2 tsp allspice
• 2 tsp cinamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp cloves
• 2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• 3 Tbsp cocoa
• 3 eggs
• 1 & 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts or almonds
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Method:

The night before you want to make your cake soak your cherries, fruit peel and your 1/4 cup cranberries in 1/4 cup of rum or brandy.

The next day, toast your pecans and then, in a large saucepan melt 3/4 cup of butter.

Add raisins, 1& 1/2 cup cranberries dried, dates, prunes, currents, sugar, molasses, spices, Kahlua or strong coffee, orange zest and juice.

Bring this mixture to a gentle boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 35-45 minutes.

When cool enough stir in your slightly beaten eggs. You don’t want to cook your eggs; so be sure its cool enough and you work quickly.

Next, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Then, add ground nuts & fold it into your boiled mixture. When mixed together; Fold in cherries, citrus peel and 1/4 cup cranberries that have been soaking overnight in 1/4 cup of Screech rum bourbon or brandy. Add pecans.

Pour into greased and floured pan. Decorate with more pecans and cherries. Bake at 300 for about 2 hours. or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.

When cold, poke a few holes in the top with a toothpick. This ensures that the rum will get into the cake. Pour 2 Tbsp. rum over top.

Wrap your cake in cheesecloth that has been soaked in 1/4 cup of Screech. Presoak cloth every week with 1/4 cup of screech for 4 weeks. Store in a cool dark place.

The following 3 videos are part 1,2 & 3. The cake is absolutely amazing! I sure hope you try it!

Can’t wait for a taste!

Wasn’t that fun! Making this cake brings back so many memories of my dear grandmother and growing up in Newfoundland.

I sure hope you give this recipe a try. It is a keeper 100 %. Its also so great to be able to keep traditions alive including these yummy recipes.

We recently lost our beautiful home in the Conception Bay North Wildfire. I am truly grateful that I started this website as we lost everything in the fire including nannies precious recipes.

Thank you for liking, commenting or subscribing to my channel. It is a goal of mine to ensure these recipes are never lost and will continue to warm the hearts of of loved ones for centuries to come.

Here’s a link to the Screech enjoy!

https://www.screechrum.com/

Here’s a link to my new favorite Brandy:

https://nlliquor.com/product/st-remy-vsop-brandy-2

Thank you in advance for your donation it allows me to take the time to create these educational videos and to keep the website up and running.