My mum’s version of a light fruitcake – with chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Kugelhopf is traditionally made with yeast; this cake isn’t. My mother was an accomplished baker of European desserts. She got this recipe from her friend Nussy (pronounced Nooshi) Kalmus. I’ve tweaked it a little bit by substituting sour cream for milk. A tip from my high school science teacher mum for measuring butter by volume – useful for an odd amount like ⅔ cup – that employs the “displacement method.” Pour 1 cup cold water into 2-cup measuring cup. Add butter until it measures 1⅔ cups. Discard water and voila! You’re welcome!

⅓ cup golden raisins
⅓ cup dried cranberries or cherries
3 tbsp liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, Madeira, Port, or fruit juice
⅔ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
Zest of 1 lemon, about 1 Tbsp
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts or almonds*
Icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 12-cup bundt or ring pan; lightly dust with flour.
2. Cover raisins and cherries with liqueur. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute. Let sit and soak for 20 minutes or until plump and most of liquid is absorbed. Set aside.
3. In bowl of electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon zest.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into separate bowl; stir into butter mixture, alternately with sour cream, scrapping down sides of bowl, until smooth.
5. Fold soaked fruit (with liquid), chocolate chunks and nuts into batter until well combined but not overmixed.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in oven 35 to 40 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack; turn out on to serving plate to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar. 

Makes about 12 servings.

*Toast whole hazelnuts or almonds on sheet pan in 350°F oven for 10 minutes, or until lightly coloured skins blistered. Cool. To remove hazelnut skins (optional), wrap nuts in kitchen towel and rub around until they loosen and come off. Some skin may remain. Cool completely before chopping. Note: almond skins do not need to be removed.