I'm trying to keep up a tradition of sending fruitcake out to families, only I know some families are more averse to alcohol in general than others.
The recipe I have uses 170 grams of brandy as well as regular basting/brushing for the aging process. Will this make the end result alcoholic or a concern for people with a difficult relationship to alcohol? Should I make a non-alcoholic alternative?
Yes, fruitcake will retain almost all the alcohol added to it, whether added before or after cooking. Whether you should make a non-alcoholic alternative is a matter of opinion and individual circumstances and not on-topic for this site, but if I were averse to consuming alcohol and someone who knew that about me sent me an alcohol-infused fruitcake, I would judge that to be inconsiderate at best.
No, depending on how well the package is sealed and how long it is aged. Ethanol boils at 173 F, water at 212 F ; This indicates that alcohol will evaporate faster at room temperature than water because it it closer to its boiling point . Or that the vapor pressure of ethanol is greater at room temperature than the vapor pressure of water. If the cake is well sealed in something like foil ,the ethanol will not evaporate.
