Fruitcake is perhaps the most highly contested of all holiday treats. With a reputation for being overly dense and not very tasty, it’s no wonder the humble dessert has made a name for itself as the gift no one actually wants to receive. It has plenty of potential to be a truly decadent and delicious holiday treat with this revamped version for the modern age.

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 325˚F, and butter three 9-inch round cake pans.
2. In a small pot, combine the dates, lemon juice, and ¾ cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer gently until the dates begin to soften.
3. Set the mixture aside to cool, and in a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and tarragon until blended. Set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar, and honey on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla and cooled date mixture.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the bowl, mixing at low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the pecans, and pour the batter into three cake pans.
6. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until set. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pans and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
7. While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze by whisking together butter, powdered sugar, rum, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle the glaze between each layer, and a generous amount on top of the cake.