Traditional Fruitcake

Combine 2 cups diced candied mixed fruits, 2 cups golden raisins, 1½ cups dried currants, 1 cup dark raisins, ½ cup chopped candied angelica, and ½ cup halved candied red cherries in a large bowl. Pour ¾ cup dark rum over; toss to combine. Cover fruit mixture and let sit at room temperature 12 hours.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 300°. Toast 1 cup blanched almonds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then finely grind in spice mill.

Butter springform pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper; butter parchment. Sift together 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, and ¼ tsp. ground ginger in a small bowl.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, and 1 cup (packed; 200 g) brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Strain fruit soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl with butter mixture; beat to combine. Pat fruit mixture dry with paper towels, then toss with ⅓ cup of the flour mixture in another small bowl. Add remaining flour mixture to bowl with butter mixture in 4 additions, folding with a rubber spatula just until incorporated after each addition. Fold in fruit mixture, ground almonds, and ½ cup chopped raw walnuts or pecans just until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.

Fill 2 loaf pans with hot water and set in oven on opposite sides of rack; set springform pan in between. Bake fruitcake 1 hour. Lightly beat remaining 1 large egg in a clean small bowl, then brush over cake. Return fruitcake to oven; bake another 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 30 minutes. Remove sides from pan and invert fruitcake onto rack; carefully remove pan bottom and parchment. Turn cake right side up and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, bring ½ cup apricot jam and remaining 1 Tbsp. dark rum to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Strain through a clean fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof small bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Let apricot glaze cool slightly.

Decorate fruitcake with candied angelica and candied red cherries as desired. Brush top of cake with some apricot glaze (save remaining glaze for another use). Do Ahead: Cake can be made 2 months ahead. Wrap in plastic, then foil, and store at room temperature.