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Looking for an easy holiday dessert? My moist Christmas fruit cake is rich, filled with dried fruits and festive spices. It’s perfect for beginners, quick to make with simple ingredients, and, with my tips, turns out flawless every time—great for the holidays or any special occasion!
Table of Contents
Traditional Fruit Cake Recipe
Christmas fruit cake is one of my favorite British recipes, other than Yorkshire Pudding. Packed with dried fruits, nuts, and brandy, this cake is perfectly moist. The hint of brandy not only adds amazing flavor but also helps it stay fresh longer, so I can enjoy it throughout the festive season.
This moist Christmas fruitcake recipe is super easy to make, though it takes a bit of time to prepare the brandy and mixed fruits, which really enhances the richness of the flavors. I love having a slice with a glass of red wine or a cup of Dalgona Coffee. And of course, I always brush the top with brandy for that classic holiday touch!
Why This Recipe Stands Out
- Moist and tasty. This cake is all about being moist and full of flavor, thanks to the mix of dried fruits, nuts and spices.
- Easy to make. With simple ingredients and an easy-to-follow process, I can whip this up effortlessly, and even beginner bakers can do it without a hitch this holiday season.
- Boiling the ingredients before baking. This is the secret technique that amps up the flavors, making this recipe a standout.
- Alcohol flavor. Everything is better with a bit of alcohol, such as Banana Bread with Rum. The brandy not only adds a nice kick but also keeps the cake fresh, so I can enjoy it long after the holidays.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe follows a two-step process. Two to three weeks before the holidays or special occasions, prepare the mixed fruits with brandy using the following ingredients:
- Mixed dried fruits – Try raisins, sultanas, currants, dried cranberries, apricots, mixed peel, glazed cherries, or any combination that suits your taste!
- Nuts – choose from walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, or a combination of your favorite varieties.
- Brandy or rum – Use brandy for a more traditional and refined flavor. Use dark rum for a spicier, richer, or tropical twist. I used Cognac Brandy.
When you are ready to bake the cake, you will need the following ingredients:
- All purpose flour
- Milk powder – adds creaminess and enhances the cake’s texture, making it richer and more delicious. Please take note that milk powder and baby formula are not the same and should not be used interchangeably in baking. Please read sidenote below for shopping guide.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and mixed spices – lend warmth and a festive touch, giving the fruitcake that cozy “It’s starting to feel like Christmas” vibes with every bite.
- Mixed dried fruits
- Brown sugar
- Orange juice – adds a fresh, zesty flavor that brightens up the cake and keeps it moist.
- Baking soda
- Honey – natural sweetener that brings a unique taste and adds extra moisture to the cake
Shopping Guide: Milk powder is made from dehydrated cow’s milk, while baby formula is a nutritional substitute for infants. Milk powder is usually found in the baking aisle, near coffee creamers, or with canned or international foods at the grocery store.
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
How To Prepare Mixed Fruits
Prepare the mixed fruit with brandy 2–3 weeks ahead.
Step 1: Combine 7 cups of chopped mixed fruits—such as raisins, sultanas, currants, dried cranberries, apricots, mixed peel, and glazed cherries—with an optional 1 cup of nuts (like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, or pistachios).
Step 2: Pour 1 to 1.5 cups of brandy or rum over the mix and store it in an airtight container until ready to use.
How To Make Christmas Fruit Cake
Step 1: Grease and line 5–6 mini loaf pans. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Sift the flour, milk powder, and spices together.
Step 2: Combine the mixed fruits, butter, sugar, honey, orange juice, and baking soda in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool.
Step 3: Combine the eggs and gently beat them using a fork. Carefully stir the beaten eggs into the cooled cake mixture. Fold in the sifted ingredients, then spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour or until cooked through.
Step 4: Remove the cake from the oven and brush the top with brandy. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil. For the best flavor, let the cake sit for a few days to age before serving.
Secrets To A Perfect Christmas Fruit Cake
- Soak the dried fruits in brandy for up to 3 weeks before baking the cake.
- If using nuts, select a mix of walnuts and pecans for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. Remember to set aside some whole walnuts for decoration.
- Make sure the spices are fresh because stale spices can leave the cake tasting bland, while fresh ones really enhance the flavor.
- Never skip sifting the flour, milk powder, and spices—it aerates them and prevents clumping.
- Use eggs and butter at room temperature. It makes mixing so much easier and creates a smoother batter.
- When combining the wet and dry ingredients, I mix gently to avoid a dense cake, folding until just combined.
- When brushing the cake with brandy, I do it while it’s still warm so it soaks up the liquid perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions
While dried fruits are traditional for Christmas fruit cake, using fresh fruits can lead to a soggy cake. Sticking to dried fruits will help maintain the cake’s texture and flavor.
It is best to use brandy or dark rum for this recipe. Brush 1-2 tablespoons over the cake right when it is removed from the oven.
I prepare the mixed fruit with brandy during the first week of December or latest by early mid December, allowing it to soak for about 2-3 weeks before baking it a few days before Christmas. The extra time for the fruit to soak in the brandy really pays off, giving your fruit cake rich and festive flavors.
After baking, wrap the cake tightly in parchment paper and foil, then store it in an airtight container. This allows the flavors to meld together. If you prefer, you can also brush it with a bit more brandy or rum every few days to keep it moist and flavorful.
If stored at room temperature, the cake will last about a month. In the fridge, it should keep for up to 6 months.
This recipe contains 1,051 calories per loaf.
What To Serve With Christmas Fruit Cake
This moist and delicious cake is best served as a dessert. For a great holiday assortment, I recommend the following desserts.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons milk powder
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon mixed spices
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 7 cups mixed dried fruits, please refer to Notes for preparation method
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups Brandy or dark rum, please refer to Notes for preparation method
- 2 sticks butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans or pistachios, optional
Instructions
- Grease and line 5–6 mini loaf pans. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Sift the flour, milk powder, and spices together.
- Combine the mixed fruits butter, sugar, honey, orange juice, and baking soda in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool.
- Combine the eggs and gently beat them using a fork. Carefully stir the beaten eggs into the cooled cake mixture. Fold in the sifted ingredients, then spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. (Optional step: decorate the cake with 10 whole pecans as a decorative topping). Bake for about 1 hour or until cooked through.
- Remove the cake from the oven and brush the top with brandy. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil. For the best flavor, let the cake sit for a few days to age before serving.
Notes
- I used a mix of walnuts and pecans for the best balance of flavor and texture. Don’t forget to set aside some whole pecans for a decorative topping.
- Make sure the spices are fresh because stale spices can leave the cake tasting bland, while fresh ones really enhance the flavor.
- Never skip sifting the flour, milk powder, and spices—it aerates them and prevents clumping.
- Use eggs and butter at room temperature. It makes mixing so much easier and creates a smoother batter.
- When combining the wet and dry ingredients, I mix gently to avoid a dense cake, folding until just combined.
- When brushing the cake with brandy, I do it while it’s still warm so it soaks up the liquid perfectly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What are mixed spices? Os ot sp;d as sicj pr ca I make my own with wat I mghtit alread ave?
Love all your recipes
Mixed spices are available in bottles, at the spices aisle at grocery stores. I used McCormick brand.
Quiero hacer este pastel pero dudo con las cantidades, soy española y no me aclaro bien con este sistema de medición. 7 tazas de frutas son 1610 gr, no es mucho? 2 barras de mantequilla son 226 gr? Me gustaría mucho que pudieses las recetas también en gr, sería estupendo!! Muchas gracias. Me encanta tu blog.
Hi Cristina, I am in the US, so I use US measuring system and cups. Can you get US measurement cups in Spain? Yes, 2 sticks butter is 225 grams.
Interesting recipe, but according to you description you are using something that we have plenty of here in the PNW but do not use in baking….
“Mixed fruits – I used rains, “
Lol, so sorry for the typos. Will update it now.