Name: White Fruitcake
Total time: 6 h 15 min
Yield: Makes one cake
Ingredients: 1/2 cup orange juice; 2 pounds (907 grams) glacéed fruit (4 cups); 1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces/191 grams) slivered almonds; 1 cup (3 ounces/85 grams) sweetened shredded coconut; 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 12 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened; 1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar; 4 large eggs , room temperature; Confectioners' sugar

Why This Recipe Works

Nowadays, fruitcake gets a bad rap, but we wanted a version that was light, flavorful, and full of tender fruit. A quick maceration with warmed orange juice softens and flavors store-bought glacéed fruit. A few pulses in the food processor break down the nuts and coconut with the flour to prevent a stringy, soggy texture. A final sprinkling of slivered almonds and powdered sugar finish our fruitcake for a festive, surprisingly delicious dessert.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Generously grease 12-cup tube pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Microwave orange juice in medium bowl until hot, about 30 seconds. Add glacéed fruit and stir to coat completely. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Process 1 cup almonds, coconut, and ¼ cup flour in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute. Transfer to second medium bowl and whisk in remaining 1¾ cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with glacéed fruit in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter final stir by hand.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ½ cup almonds. Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 2 hours, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan, discarding parchment and reinverting so almonds are on top, and let cool completely, about 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Serve.