Fold in the flour mixture, alternately with the mashed peaches. Always begin and end with the dry ingredients. I generally add the dry ingredients in 3 portions and the mashed peaches in 2 portions.
With the last of the dry ingredients, fold in all of the dried and/or candied fruit.
Baking the Peach Fruitcake
Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for about 2 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the pan on a wire rack for 15 -20 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely.
At this point you can poke small holes in the top and bottom of the cake with a fork or skewer and pour on 4 ounces of brandy, cognac or even a favorite whiskey,. Pour half on the top, wait ten minutes, then flip it over and pour the remaining half on the bottom.
Soak several layers of cheesecloth in additional brandy if you like and wrap completely around the cake, then cover with several layers of plastic wrap and store in a COOL place. You can repeat this soaking procedure a couple of times over the net week or two weeks if you like. I generally do it a couple of times for this particular cake.
When serving, you can add a layer of marzipan or if you have decorated the top with fruit and nuts, brush with a simple glaze of equal parts water and sugar boiled together for about 10-15 minutes.
Notes
For me this is a kind of cupboard cleaner recipe. Use whatever combination of fruit you like or have on hand.
I used 2 cups raisins, 1 1/2 cups mixed candied citrus peel and 1 1/2 cups of glacé cherries. Substitute, mixed candied fruit, chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, or anything else that would fit the bill; completely your choice.
This recipe makes a large cake that is meant to be served in small pieces, hence the high number of servings.
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