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Yummy Fruitcake Bars

FruitOvenDiner-Style

Time: 8 hours 55 minutes

Yield: 24 servings

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About

Forget everything you thought you knew about fruitcake, because these Yummy Fruitcake Bars are in fact yummy! When you have to soak your favorite mixed fruit in some syrupy brandy, you know you're in for a good time. Putting all of that over a buttery shortbread crust has got to convince you that this is way better than the original cake-version. Revamped and better than ever, Yummy Fruitcake Bars are here to create a new legacy for its name!

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Ingredients

  • For the boozy fruit:
  • 1 cup mixed dried fruit, such as apricots, cranberries, cherries, raisins, and/or currants, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup brandy or rum
  • For the shortbread base:
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • For the fruitcake topping:
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup packaged baking mixed peel
  • 1/2 cup glacè cherries or candied cherries, cut in half
  • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Directions

Step 1 -In a small mixing bowl, add the dried fruit and the brandy and mix to combine.

Step 2 -Cover the bowl and let the fruit soak overnight.

Step 3 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 4 -Lightly grease an 8x8-inch pan, then line it with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch-long overhang on both sides.

Step 5 -In a medium bowl, add the butter and the confectioners' sugar and beat until they are combined.

Step 6 -Stir the almond extract into the butter-sugar mixture.

Step 7 -Add 1 1/4 cups of the flour to the butter mixture and stir until it is well-combined.

Step 8 -Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Step 9 -Bake the crust, about 10 minutes.

Step 10 -Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the crust cool.

Step 11 -In a medium bowl, add the eggs, the brown sugar, the remaining flour, the baking powder, and the salt and mix to combine.

Step 12 -Add the mixed peel, the glacè cherry halves, the pecans, and the soaked fruit and their liquid to the brown sugar mixture and stir to combine.

Step 13 -Spread the fruit mixture in an even layer over the crust.

Step 14 -Bake the fruitcake bars until the edges are set and dry, about 25-30 minutes.

Step 15 -Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the fruitcake bars cool.

Step 16 -Run a knife along the edges of the fruitcake bars to loosen and lift them out using the parchment paper.

Step 17 -Cut the fruitcake bars into squares and serve.

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