The Fruitcake

a slice of fruitcake with raisins, cranberries and other dried fruit.

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This is the only fruitcake recipe you need - moist, fruity, sweet, and so Christmasy! It’s easy to follow, and you'll learn a simple insulating technique for perfect results.

Prep Time40

Cook Time3

Soaking time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Servings: slices

Calories: 610kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

springform or cake pan 23 cm/ 9 inches
Parchment paper
Aluminum foil
Paper towels
Metal paper clip
Electric mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachments

Ingredients

250 g raisins 9 oz, Notes 1, 2
200 g golden raisins 7 oz
125 g currants 4.5 oz
125 g dried apricots chopped, 4.5 oz
125 g prunes chopped, 4.5 oz
100 g dates chopped, 3.5 oz
125 ml brandy or rum, ½ cup
125 ml orange juice ½ cup from 1 orange
250 g unsalted butter at room temperature, 9 oz/ 1 cup + 2 tablespoons
225 muscovado sugar 8 oz/ 1 cup packed, Note 3
4 large eggs at room temperature
275 g all-purpose flour 9.7 oz/ 2 cups
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon cinnamon
a few gratings of nutmeg
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
100 g glace cherries 3.5 oz
50 g candied orange peel 1.7 oz, Note 4

Instructions

Mix dried fruit: Place raisins, golden raisins, and currants in a bowl. Chop the apricots, prunes, and dates and add them to the bowl.
250 g raisins / 9 oz + 200 g golden raisins / 7 oz + 125 g currants / 4.5 oz + 125 g dried apricots / 4.5 oz + 125 g prunes / 4.5 oz + 100 g dates / 3.5 oz
Soak dried fruit: Warm the brandy or rum and freshly squeezed orange juice in a small pan. Pour the mixture over the dried fruit, stir well, and let it soak for 30 minutes or until the fruit is plump. You can soak it longer if you prefer.
125 ml brandy/ ½ cup + 125 ml orange juice/ ½ cup
Preheat the oven to 150°C/ 300°F.
Line the cake pan: Lightly grease the springform or cake tin and line it with parchment paper all over, including the sides.
Insulate the pan (Note 5): Cut a long piece of foil, enough to wrap around the cake pan, and lay it flat on the table. Tear a strip of paper towels the same length as the foil and fold it twice lengthwise to form a long strip. Dampen the strip with water until it’s wet but not dripping. Place the wet paper towel in the center of the foil, then fold the foil around it to create an insulating strip. Wrap this strip around the cake pan, trimming any excess, and secure it with a metal paper clip.
Wet ingredients: Cream the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bowl halfway through.
250 g unsalted butter / 9 oz/ 1 cup + 2 tablespoons + 225 muscovado sugar / 8 oz/ 1 cup packed + 4 large eggs
Add dry ingredients: In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Sift them over the egg mixture and fold them in with a plastic spatula, along with the soaked fruit, chopped glacé cherries, and orange peel.
275 g all-purpose flour / 9.7 oz/ 2 cups + ¼ teaspoon baking soda + ¼ teaspoon allspice + ¼ teaspoon cardamom + ½ teaspoon cinnamon + a few gratings of nutmeg + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + 100 g glace cherries / 3.5 oz + 50 g candied orange peel / 1.7 oz
Bake fruitcake: Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 90 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/280°F, remove the foil, and bake for another 90 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Check after about 70 minutes; if the cake is getting too dark, loosely cover it with foil (just place it on top without pressing it down).
Check cake: If the skewer has a lot of cake mix on it, when you check the fruitcake, continue baking for about 10 more minutes, then check again. Repeat if necessary. The cake is dense, and oven temperature variations may affect the baking time.
Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and carefully take off the insulating foil strip. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
Store fruitcake: Once cool, wrap the cake in parchment paper and then in foil. Store it in a cool place (not the refrigerator) for 1 to 2 weeks. Feed it if desired (Note 6).
Serve: Unwrap the fruitcake and sprinkle it with powdered sugar or brush it with jam before serving.

Notes

Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale for baking (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it ensures the best results. Measuring dried fruit in cups can be tricky since the size of the pieces and your chopping style can affect the quantity.
Dried fruit: You will need a total of 800 g/ 1.8 lbs of dried fruit. You can mix it as you like.
Sugar: Substitute muscovado sugar with an equal amount of dark brown sugar. For a flavor closer to muscovado, you can optionally add 2 tablespoons of molasses or treacle.
Replace candied peel with other candied fruit you like (for instance, ginger) or with chopped almonds or hazelnuts.
This insulating technique helps ensure even baking and prevents the edges of the fruitcake from overbaking or becoming too dark while the center cooks through.
Feed the fruitcake: Use a skewer to make holes in the top of the cake and drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol, such as brandy or rum, over it. Wrap the cake in parchment paper and foil, then store it in a cool place. Repeat every few days or weekly, but be careful not to over-soak it.

Nutrition