Christmas fruitcake bar

Name: Christmas fruitcake bar
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 18
Ingredients: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/2 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp allspice; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp baking powder; 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature; 1/2 cup packed brown sugar; 1 egg; 2 tbsp dark rum, or 1/2 tsp rum extract with 2 tbsp of water; 1 tsp vanilla; 2 cups coarsely chopped red and green glacé cherries; 1/2 cup finely chopped candied orange or lemon peel; 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts; 1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional; 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature; 2 cups icing sugar; 2 tbsp milk; 1/2 tsp almond extract

Prep Time20 min
Total Time20 min
Makes18 Bars

*PLUS Baking Time: 30 minutes

By Chatelaine

Roberto Caruso

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp dark rum, or 1/2 tsp rum extract with 2 tbsp of water
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups coarsely chopped red and green glacé cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped candied orange or lemon peel
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

FOR ICING:

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

PREHEAT oven to 350F (180C). Lightly spray or oil a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, using a fork, stir flour with spices, baking soda and baking powder. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar for 2 min, scraping down side of bowl if necessary. Beat in egg, rum and vanilla just until mixed. Don't worry if it separates - it will come together when flour mixture is added. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Th en, using a wooden spoon, stir in cherries, orange peel, pecans and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick and chunky.
TURN into a 9-in. (2-L) square baking dish. Bake in centre of preheated oven until top is firm and dark golden, 30 min. Set pan on a rack to cool. For icing, beat 1/4 cup (50 mL) room-temperature butter with 2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar, 2 tbsp (30 mL) milk and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) almond extract until creamy. Spread overtop. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.

FILED UNDER:

Christmas bake Desserts

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