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This quick and easy moist fruit cake recipe is perfect for any occasion, especially during festive seasons. With simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can enjoy a delicious homemade treat in no time. Plus, the recipe is beginner-friendly and foolproof!
What Is Fruit Cake
Fruit cake is a traditional British Christmas cake packed with fruits and nuts, often laced with alcohol, typically brandy. This adds a subtle brandy flavor and keeps the cake moist, allowing it to be stored for a long time.
I love enjoying it with a glass of red wine or a cup of espresso. Check out this moist fruit cake recipe, which involves boiling the ingredients before baking for extra flavor!
Ingredients For Fruit Cake Recipe
- Butter
- Eggs
- Orange juice
- Honey
- Flour
- Milk powder
- Nutmeg
- Mixed spices
- Cinnamon powder
- Baking soda
- Brandy
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How to Make Moist 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 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 boil and simmer for about 5 minutes over low heat. Stir consistently. Remove the saucepan and leave to cool.
Step 3: Combine the eggs and gently beat it using a fork. Gently stir it into the cooled cake mixture. Fold in the sifted ingredients. Spread evenly into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until cooked.
Step 4: Remove the cake and brush the top with brandy. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil. The cake is best eaten after a few days of aging.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is best to use dark rum or brandy for this recipe. Brush 1-2 tablespoons over the cake right when it is removed from the oven.
To store, wrap the cake in brandy soaked towels, and then wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
If stored correctly, the cake will last a month at normal room temperature. In the fridge, it should keep for 6 months.
This recipe has 246 calories.
What To Serve With Fruit Cake
This meal 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
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, chopped (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
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 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 boil and simmer for about 5 minutes over low heat. Stir consistently. Remove the saucepan and leave to cool.
- Combine the eggs and gently beat it using a fork. Gently stir it into the cooled cake mixture. Fold in the sifted ingredients. Spread evenly into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until cooked.
- Remove the cake and brush the top with brandy. Cover it tightly with aluminium foil. The cake is best eaten after a few days of aging.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Bee,
I love your blog. And i did try few of your recipe and it tuned out good. I love fruit cake and would like to try out your recipe.
1. I don’t know where to find Treacle in US but I believe you use honey instead of Treacle.
Will it still have the same taste?
2. I couldn’t find milk powder. The only thing i can find here is Instant Nonfat Dry Milk Pouch.. Can i use this or is it better to you whole milk ( liquid)?
3. Mini loaf pan- what is the size of mini loaf pan.
You can use honey. It works the same. Dry milk pouch should work. Mini loaf pan are very tiny in size, you can just use regular loaf pan.
1. After taking the cake out of the over, do you WAIT for the cake to cool before brushing the top with brandy?
2. Is there only ONE brushing of brandy?
Yes and yes. You can brush more if you like.
cake sound delicious can I use a loaf pan
Yes I think so!
Hi Bee, how much is 2 sticks of butter in terms of cup? Thx
1 cup.
Thanks Bee. Love all your recipes and can’t wait to try your Christmas Cake. I’ve tried all recipes from others but none turned out good. Keep up the good job. From the Great White North.
Hi Sharon, thanks so much for your comment, you’re so sweet. I am so happy having you as a supporter. :)
Please try more recipes on my site, they are all good: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Hi how much of fruits n nuts need to use for this recipe? ?
Please check the recipe, it’s at the bottom, please scroll down.
Hi,
I would just like to ask, shall I put the 7 cups of fruits? or just some of it? Thanks
Just follow the instructions of the recipe.
Hi what does mixed slices contain?
Hi Dear,
Very nice article, keep up the good work.
Yesterday there was a party in my family, we made this cake. It was very awesome!!!! Everobody praised of this cake.
That’s good to hear.
I make Fruitcake with my mother’s Scottish recepie. She never added 7 cups of fruit. That is way too much. Two cups of fruit is fine. Two cups of raisins either blonde or black. Pitted prunes and crushed walnuts, Sometimes she added a few chopped figs..but that was a luxury. A teaspoon of each: mace, allspice, ground nutmeg, cinnamon. Don’t forget the baking powder, 1 tsp. Molasses 1/4 cup. Orange juice, rum, sherry (Oporto) whiskey if you have it…if not don’t matter. 3 eggs but I’m gonna try with 4….My sister claims that a pyrex with water on the bottom shelf will keep the cakes moist (if you have a problem with the cakes coming up dry or flaky) My mom lined her tins with brown paper (manila) and brushed them with butter.
The paper gives the cakes a rich special flavour. A tip so the fruit doesn’t sink to the bottom of the pan, dust it with flour before adding it to the liquid mix. Most important make sure the cake is cold when you slice it and make sure the knife you use is super sharp. Warm custard is a nice topping…and a cuppa! Happy Xmas!
Hi,
My cake turn out to be very moist like a pudding or kueh, unlike that one in your pic, bits of cake crumbs are still visible. What have I done wrong? I follow your instructions step by step.
Thanks for help.
Hello! My name is Coty de Guerra, I’m from Nicaragua. I made The Christmas fruit cake, it was absolutely delicious!. Can this cake be stored in the freezer ? For how long?
Yes you can, for a week?
RaRasa, I think fruitcake would keep for months in the freezer…probably up to a year..all that alcohol helps keep it from going bad. .. thought maybe you misread coty’s ques as storing in fridge not freezer.
Ps. Going to make for dh for xmas. But I have to shave off a couple days..I only have 10 to soak..