Rich Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe
This rich fruit cake is sweet, packed with flavor, and has a nice hint of booze, making it just right for Christmas or any holiday season!
It’s best to make this cake about a month before Christmas.
You can enjoy it as a dessert after a big meal or as a tasty treat in the days that follow.
This version is a twist on the classic British fruit cake often seen at Christmas or weddings.
But since I prefer a simple and boozy fruit cake, this recipe skips the icing, marzipan, and fondant.
Fruit cake is a recipe that’s been around since the time of the Roman Empire, making it one of the oldest desserts out there.
The reason it’s lasted so long is simple: it stays fresh for a long time.
Back when people didn’t have refrigerators or preservatives, it was really handy to have foods that wouldn’t spoil quickly.
Many cultures have their version of fruit cake.
Equipment
Ingredients
Variations
You can easily swap sultanas, raisins, and currants for each other, depending on what you have on hand.
If you prefer, the dried fruit can be soaked in orange or apple juice instead of brandy.
This recipe calls for a total of 820 grams of dried fruit.
If you’re in a hurry, you could use a pre-made Christmas fruit cake mix instead.
I use a blend of half brown sugar and half white sugar, along with a touch of syrup or molasses.
This mix of sugars gives a nice sweetness, while the brown sugar and syrup bring a richer flavor.
This cake is quite sweet, so feel free to use salted butter and add a pinch of salt if you like.
For flour, you can use regular all-purpose flour in the same amount as the recipe if it calls for ½ to 1 teaspoon of baking powder per 125 grams or 1 cup of flour.
If more baking powder is needed, just add the extra amount to match the recipe.
Keep in mind that self-raising flour may already have salt in it, so you might not need to add extra.
Process of Making The Cake
Start by cutting the dates and dried apricots into thin slices. Then, slice the cherries in half. Put everything into a big mixing bowl.
Next, add all the chopped fruits to the bowl and pour ½ cup of brandy over them. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, cling film, or a reusable wrap, and let the fruits soak for a full day. Stir the mixture now and then.
Next, start by lining your cake tin. Use 4 pieces of parchment paper for the bottom and sides, 4 more to go around the inside edge, and 2 pieces to cover the top while baking. Once everything is lined, set the tin aside and preheat the oven to 150°C or 130°C for a fan oven. Place the rack in the middle of the oven.
Now, For a square tin – Cut 4 pieces of parchment to fit the base, allowing at least 5 cm of extra paper to go up the sides. Spray the tin with non-stick spray, and place the paper, letting it overlap at different angles. Cut another 4 pieces of paper, about 90 cm long and 10 cm wide, to line the sides. Use more non-stick spray to make sure it sticks well. Lastly, cut 2 pieces to cover the cake during baking.
For a round tin – Cut 4 pieces of paper to fit the bottom, leaving 2-5 cm to go up the sides. Trace the base, and make small cuts up to the round line to help the paper fit neatly. Use non-stick spray to keep the paper in place. Cut 4 strips, about 10 cm wide, to fit around the sides. Again, use spray for better sticking. Prepare 2 pieces to cover the top of the cake as it bakes.
It’s time to Cream together the butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and molasses until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the vanilla, spices, and salt, and stir until well blended.
Now, Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture, stirring until it’s smooth and thick. Fold in the chopped nuts. Transfer the batter into the lined tin, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Cover with the two top pieces of parchment, and bake in the middle of the oven for 2 to 3 hours. Test the cake with a skewer; it’s ready when it comes out clean.
Don’t forget to check the cake after 2 hours to see if it’s nearly done. If the parchment paper around the sides is too high and close to the heating element, trim it down to avoid any risk of burning.
After that, take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the tin for about 3 to 5 hours. Pour a quarter of the brandy over the top and let it soak in. Flip the cake out onto a cooling rack and peel off the parchment. Slowly drizzle half of the remaining brandy over the bottom of the cake and let it absorb. Line a clean tin or another container with 1-2 layers of parchment, flip the cake back, and gently pour the rest of the brandy on top. Cover tightly with foil, ensuring it doesn’t touch the cake, and store in an airtight container for 2 to 4 weeks. Check on the cake now and then, enjoying the festive aroma.
To keep the cake moist, some people add brandy weekly, but you can also do it all at once. Seal the cake in an airtight container and keep it in a dry, cool spot. If you prefer feeding the cake over time, save half of the brandy and use it week by week.
Finally, once the cake is ready, take it out, slice it, and serve.
Storage Tips
Fruit cakes, especially those with a good amount of alcohol, can last quite a while.
If kept in a tightly sealed container, they stay fresh in the pantry for about a month, in the fridge for up to six months, and can be kept in the freezer for a whole year.
To keep them longer, I like to wrap the cake first in paper, then in cling film, and finally in foil before freezing.
Fruit cakes have such a long shelf life, which is why they were once a favorite choice for wedding cakes.
Often, the top tier of a wedding cake would be a fruit cake, frozen to be saved and enjoyed on the couple’s first anniversary.
Recipe Card
Rich Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients
Fruit
- 100 grams dates
- 150 grams raisins
- 125 ml brandy
- 300 grams cherries
- 150 grams currents
- 150 grams dried apricots
Cake
- 3 eggs
- 175 grams butter
- ½ – 1 cup brandy
- 150 grams walnuts
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 345 grams plain flour
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 120 grams light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 150 grams white granulated sugar
Instructions
- Start by cutting the dates and dried apricots into thin slices. Then, slice the cherries in half. Put everything into a big mixing bowl.
- Next, add all the chopped fruits to the bowl and pour ½ cup of brandy over them. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, cling film, or a reusable wrap, and let the fruits soak for a full day. Stir the mixture now and then.100 grams dates, 150 grams raisins, 300 grams cherries, 150 grams currents, 150 grams dried apricots, 125 ml brandy
- Next, start by lining your cake tin. Use 4 pieces of parchment paper for the bottom and sides, 4 more to go around the inside edge, and 2 pieces to cover the top while baking. Once everything is lined, set the tin aside and preheat the oven to 150°C or 130°C for a fan oven. Place the rack in the middle of the oven.
- It’s time to Cream together the butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and molasses until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the vanilla, spices, and salt, and stir until well blended.3 eggs, 175 grams butter, 1 teaspoon table salt, 1 teaspoon table salt, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon mixed spice, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 120 grams light brown sugar, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 150 grams white granulated sugar
- Now, Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture, stirring until it’s smooth and thick. Fold in the chopped nuts. Transfer the batter into the lined tin, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Cover with the two top pieces of parchment, and bake in the middle of the oven for 2 to 3 hours. Test the cake with a skewer; it’s ready when it comes out clean.150 grams walnuts, 345 grams plain flour
- Don’t forget to check the cake after 2 hours to see if it’s nearly done. If the parchment paper around the sides is too high and close to the heating element, trim it down to avoid any risk of burning.
- After that, take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the tin for about 3 to 5 hours. Pour a quarter of the brandy over the top and let it soak in. Flip the cake out onto a cooling rack and peel off the parchment. Slowly drizzle half of the remaining brandy over the bottom of the cake and let it absorb. Line a clean tin or another container with 1-2 layers of parchment, flip the cake back, and gently pour the rest of the brandy on top. Cover tightly with foil, ensuring it doesn’t touch the cake, and store in an airtight container for 2 to 4 weeks. Check on the cake now and then, enjoying the festive aroma.½ – 1 cup brandy
- To keep the cake moist, some people add brandy weekly, but you can also do it all at once. Seal the cake in an airtight container and keep it in a dry, cool spot. If you prefer feeding the cake over time, save half of the brandy and use it week by week.
- Finally, once the cake is ready, take it out, slice it, and serve.
Notes
Cake Tin
For a square tin – Cut 4 pieces of parchment to fit the base, allowing at least 5 cm of extra paper to go up the sides. Spray the tin with non-stick spray, and place the paper, letting it overlap at different angles. Cut another 4 pieces of paper, about 90 cm long and 10 cm wide, to line the sides. Use more non-stick spray to make sure it sticks well. Lastly, cut 2 pieces to cover the cake during baking. For a round tin – Cut 4 pieces of paper to fit the bottom, leaving 2-5 cm to go up the sides. Trace the base, and make small cuts up to the round line to help the paper fit neatly. Use non-stick spray to keep the paper in place. Cut 4 strips, about 10 cm wide, to fit around the sides. Again, use spray for better sticking. Prepare 2 pieces to cover the top of the cake as it bakes.Baking Time
To bake with a regular oven, you should set the temperature to 20°C higher than you would with a fan-forced or convection oven. Since oven temperatures can vary, the most reliable way to check if your oven’s temperature setting is accurate is by using an oven thermometer. When baking this cake, start checking around the 2-hour mark to see how it’s progressing and estimate how much more time it needs to fully bake.Rate & Review
If you tried this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your feedback is really helpful for both me and my readers. A 5 star rating would be much appreciated.
