Autumn Fruitcake

When I must bake a cake for fall, it’s got to be my Autumn Fruit Cake with fresh apples and dried cranberries, yumm.  And there’s no better way than waking up to freshly baked Peach Caramel Sticky Buns on a chilly day…surely will have sleepy heads out of bed with the tantalizing aroma of cinnamon.

AUTUMN FRUITCAKE
Fruitcakes are such a big thing during the winter season.   Well, you really don’t have to wait for the cold season to enjoy rich, moist and dense fruitcakes.   Chilly days started early this year, so we just might as well start early baking fruitcakes.   This fruitcake recipe is enhanced with apples and cranberries and  makes two loaf pans…you guessed it, with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 pieces golden delicious apples, unpeeled, cored and chopped (about 3-4 cups)
2/3 cup craisins or dried cranberries
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
4 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, melted
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

Pam-spray two 9 x 5 loaf pans and line bottom and sides with wax paper; set aside.  Preheat oven to 325 F.   In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to aerate flour mixture:  flour baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, melted margarine, oil, and sugars.   Beat in flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Fold in chopped apples, craisins and walnuts.  Divide batter between 2 pans.  Bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until done.  Cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely.