I have used a bundt pan to place it as a centerpiece on the holiday table but divide the batter into 2 loaf pan and they will be perfect for gifting. Trust me this fruit cake is hands down the best and will beat other cakes out there in the market. I would recommend making this cake a couple of weeks ahead of time and letting the alcohol mature and deepen the flavors.
Soak dry fruits
Most of the recipe calls for soaking the dry fruits longer. The dry fruits soak up the liquid and plump up well. This recipe works both ways. If you would like to soak the dried fruits for a few days, you can do that. Otherwise, just mix dry fruits and liquids, and microwave for 2 minutes. The dry fruits soak all the liquid and plump up. Let it cool and then add it to the cake batter. Make sure the dry fruits are at room temperature before proceeding with the batter. Measure the flour by weight for better results.
Cake batter
Start creaming sugar and butter together. The color after creaming should look light and glossy. Then add egg one time at a time. Make sure the egg is incorporated well before adding the next. Also, keep scraping the bottom of the bowl using a spatula in between. Once all the eggs have been incorporated, add sour cream, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, ginger and orange zest. The batter might look a little grainy and split, but that’s fine. Start adding flour in 3 phases. Keep scraping the bottom of the pan, so that no dry patches of dry flour remain. Fold in the soaked dry fruits and walnuts. The batter is of thick consistency.
Always use a nonstick bundt pan, this solves half the problem. Grease it well with butter/oil or nonstick spray. Every inch of the pan needs to be greased well. Dust with flour and shake off extra loose flour by inverting the pan and patting it. Another way to prepare the pan is, to make a mixture of 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 1 teaspoon of flour. Brush the paste well including the tube of the pan. Once the cake is out of the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes max. You would see the edges around the rim and the tube would start releasing. Then flip and cook the cake on a wired rack. Keeping the cake any longer in the pan would result in the steam build-up, the cake might get sticky and won’t release well.
