Tasting Tuesday: Fruit Cake Party Mix

Ahh, it’s November. The time when Husband and I start to become exhausted from the school semester and our 100+ year old bungalow starts to fall apart. First, our disposal broke, so we couldn’t use our sink for a couple of days until it was repaired. Then, our plumbing started to go wonky, with gurgling noises coming from all the drains, so we still couldn’t use our sink. So, basically, we have a lot of dirty dishes laying around. Like LOTS of dirty dishes. But, all plumbing was fixed today, so we can now focus on repairing the new holes in the floor and the temperamental thermostat.

In the midst of all this, we hosted our annual Friendsgiving, which still brings me great love and joy (read about past years here and here). I was inspired to try SO MANY new recipes! Some were met with success and some were met with trepidation, but they were all eaten! I’m planning to share several of the recipes with you, starting with this super easy appetizer take on fruit cake. Now, I’ve never really eaten fruit cake, but this sounded like a fun way to give homage to the tradition without actually having to eat cake that’s been preserved for centuries.

I found this recipe online from A Beautiful Mess, one of my favorite colorful blogs. Not gonna lie, I think I baked mine a bit too long as I kept in in longer than suggested, but it finished cooking very quickly as soon as I pulled it out of the oven.  I think this is a unique way to bring usher in the flavors of the holiday season and I definitely plan to make it again for future snacking parties. Enjoy!

Fruit Cake Party Mix

Here’s what you need:

2 cups tiny twists, Rold Gold Pretzels
1 small pound cake (from the bakery section at most grocery stores, I got mine at Fresh Market)
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or I used a dried fruit/nut mix from the bulk section that contained pecans, cranberries, and dates!)
1/2 cup dried dates
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 oz. rum

And here’s what you do:

1. Prep the pound cake by cutting into small cubes and letting those dry out a little, at least 1 hour, but (covered) overnight is OK too.  Cut the dates into 2 or 3 pieces, depending on the size.
2. Add the pretzels, cubed cake, pecans, cranberries, and chopped dates to a large mixing bowl. In the microwave (or on the stove top), melt the butter and then stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and rum. Drizzle this over all the ingredients and toss so everything gets coated in the mix.
3. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes, tossing once in the middle of bake time.
4. Once this cools, it’s ready to serve, or you can store in an airtight container for at least 2-3 days. Toss in serving bowl or party bag and you are on your way!