Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2024)

BY :Bebs | Published: | Updated: | 3 Comments

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5 from 3 votes

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This classic dark fruitcake is dense with glazed fruits and nuts with added dried fruits and dates. Enjoy it freshly baked or aged for some weeks or months.

Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (1)

  • What is Fruitcake?
  • What liqueur to use?
  • How long does it last?
  • Printable Recipe
  • Simple Dark Moist Fruitcake

What is Fruitcake?

It is a cake made with candied and dried fruits and nuts with some spices added. It can be either alcohol-laden or alcohol-free.

In England, it is a tradition to have fruitcake as a wedding cake. The same is true in the US in earlier years. Normally covered in marzipan and then coated in white icing. Another tradition is for the couple to keep the top tier of their wedding fruitcake and save it for the christening of their first-born child. Later on, it also became popular to eat it for the celebration of the first wedding anniversary.

Not only for weddings, but fruitcake is also quite popular as Christmas cake in various countries. It is common to give it as a gift to friends or business associates.

Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2)

What liqueur to use?

Fruitcake may or may not be boozy. The types of alcohol that are commonly used are rum, brandy, red wine, whiskey orange-flavored liqueur. However, if you have kids or simply prefer the alcohol-free version, you may use fruit juices like apple, orange or cranberry. This is used for soaking the dried fruits to hydrate them and make them plump, or else you will end up with dry fruitcake. The liqueur is also used for brushing or basting them after baking to preserve the cake for a long time. It hinders the growth of molds or yeast.

Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (3)

How do you keep it moist?

Boozy fruitcakes are usually aged for at least a week to several months. They are traditionally wrapped in a cheesecloth soaked with liqueur and sealed in plastic bags or tin containers. You can also just brush the cake with booze and wrap tightly. The cheesecloth should be resoaked in alcohol at regular intervals (weekly or monthly) to keep them moist and, well, boozy. Simply brushed and wrapped ones should be re-brushed more often, like every few days.

To prevent your fruitcake from drying out during the long baking, place a pan with water in the oven. Top it off once in a while. I do this all the time when baking cake and the result is very moist.

Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (4)

How long does it last?

Well, apparently, there are some fruitcakes that are more than a hundred years old. Whether they are still palatable or even edible, is the question.

Alcohol-laden fruitcakes can last for years. The ones without alcohol in it do not keep as well as that of the boozy ones. They should be consumed in a couple of days after baking or up to 6 months if packed tightly and refrigerated. The same is true if fresh fruits are used as they bring in a lot of moisture to the cake that can cause the cake to spoil or for the pathogens to thrive.

Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (5)

Printable Recipe

Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (6)

Print Review

Simple Dark Moist Fruitcake

5 from 3 votes

This classic dark fruitcake is dense with glazed fruits and nuts with added dried fruits and dates. Enjoy it freshly baked or aged for some weeks or months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course :Dessert, Snack

Servings =24

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

FRUITS

  • 1.5 cups glazed fruits
  • 1 cup dates chopped
  • 1.5 cups raisins
  • 1 cup dried fruits (like apricots, figs, cranberries, apples, pineapple)
  • 1 cup brandy or rum (SEE NOTE 1)

BATTER

  • 1.5 cups vegetable oil
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
  • ½ teaspoon all-spice
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ cup corn syrup
  • ¼ cup dutch process or dark cocoa powder
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup nuts (like cashew, walnuts, pecan or almonds) chopped
  • 1 cup water

TOPPINGS (optional)

  • maraschino cherries
  • whole dates
  • whole pecan or walnut

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients for fruits in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and let soak overnight. If you do not have the time to wait, place uncovered in microwave and heat until very hot. Cover and let it cool down and rest for about an hour.

  • Grease and flour pans and set aside (SEE NOTE 2). Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat brown sugar and oil with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time while beating for 20-30 seconds after every addition.

  • Add the salt, cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg and corn syrup and mix. Add the cocoa powder and mix well. Gradually add the flour, a cup at a time, combining each addition to the mixture well. Add the baking powder and mix again.

  • Slowly pour in water while mixing the batter. Then add the fruits including the liquids, if any, and the nuts. Mix well.

  • Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling each up to ¾ full. Decorate the top with maraschino cherries, dates and nuts as desired.

  • Arrange the pans on a baking tray and place it on the middle shelf of the oven bake for 80 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size of the pan. (SEE NOTE 3) Or until an inserted toothpick to the center of the cake come out clean.

  • Remove fruitcake from the oven. While still hot, poke cake with a skewer in several places. Brush or drizzle with rum or brandy.

  • To age or ripen, wrap them in cheesecloths soaked in rum or brandy (mostly damp but not dripping) and place them in a plastic bag or tin box. Let it sit for up at least a month re-brushing with the same liqueur at least once a week to keep them mist. If time is too short then age it for at least a week.

Notes

  • NOTE 1 - Use apple, orange or cranberry juice for non-alcohol version
  • NOTE 2 - This recipe makes 3 loaves of 8x4-inch pan OR 2 loaves of 9x5-inch pan.
  • NOTE 3 - 8x4-inch loaves will take about 75-90 minutes to bake while 9x5-inch about 2 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 245mgFiber: 3gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 75IUVitamin C: 0.9mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 2.2mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

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Comments

    What do you think?

  1. Ronak Mehta says

    Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (19)
    Baked this cake for my birthday and it was an absolute hit! So moist and tasty. Thank you for doing what you do

    Reply

  2. rino says

    Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (20)
    hey. where in Manila can you buy the ingredients like the dried fruits?

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Hi Rino, we are in Pampanga but for sure you can get most of them (raisins, dates, glazed fruits, cherries) in the many baking supply shops in Manila. The dried mixed fruits (apples, apricots, plums) we bought in S&R but should be also available in other supermarkets..

      Reply

Easy Fruitcake Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2024)

FAQs

What alcohol is best in fruitcake? ›

What alcohol should you use? Strong, flavourful spirits with a high ABV are ideal for feeding fruitcakes. You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.

What ingredient in fruitcake makes it last so long? ›

The trifecta of sugar, low moisture ingredients and some high-proof spirits make fruitcakes some of the longest-lasting foods in the world.

How to make Mary Berry's fruit cake? ›

Put the flour, grated nutmeg, mixed spice, butter, sugar, eggs, chopped almonds, black treacle and the citrus zest into a large bowl and beat well to mix thoroughly. Fold in the soaked fruits. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread out evenly with the back of a spoon.

How long should you age fruitcake? ›

The most common duration to properly age a fruitcake is about three months. Any quicker will limit the development of complex flavors attributed to the maturing process. You can certainly age your cake for much longer than several months if you'd like, but we know how busy everyday life can be.

Why do you soak fruitcake in alcohol? ›

Here are some tips to help you make a moist fruit cake: Ingredients: Fruits:Use a variety of dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped dates, and candied peel. Soak the dried fruits in a liquid (like alcohol or fruit juice) overnight to plump them up and infuse flavor.

Is brandy or whiskey better for fruit cake? ›

Whiskey serves as a great substitute for brandy in a fruitcake. Although whiskey comes from fermented grain mash while brandy is made from fermented grape mash, the process is so similar, that the flavor will be similar as well.

Can you eat 10 year old fruitcake? ›

That said, even though a decades-old fruitcake might taste like a leather shoe, eating it probably won't make you dangerously sick.

Why is fruit cake so expensive? ›

According to supply and demand, as demand goes up, prices usually go up as well. The rest of the year, very few people are buying fruitcake, and as a result they lower the prices to entice people to buy it outside of their regular patterns.

Why was fruitcake outlawed? ›

Fruitcakes were so rich, they were considered sinful and were outlawed in Europe in the early 18th century. Restrictions eased later in the century.

Why do fruit cakes crack when baking? ›

The top of the cake sets too quickly then as the centre of the cake cooks and rises it pushes through the set surface, creating cracks.

Why is my homemade fruit cake dry? ›

The ratio of wet to dry ingredients determines a cake's moisture level. If there's simply too much flour and not enough butter, a cake will taste dry. On the other hand, if there's too much milk and not enough flour, a cake will taste too wet. Finding the right balance between wet and dry ingredients is key.

Can a fruit cake be too moist? ›

If the cakes are too moist, remove them from the container and all wrapping. Allow them to stand at room temperature for 24 hours, then rewrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Do not continue seasoning. Dark cakes usually take 4 to 6 weeks to season; light cakes usually take 3 to 4 weeks to season.

Can you overcook a fruit cake? ›

The top can overcook before the middle even gets started. * The cake pan could be overfull. A full cake pan takes a lot longer to cook, and you can very easily end up with a cake that is both under, and over cooked.

How often do you add rum to fruitcake? ›

Unwrap and baste the fruitcake with rum every 1 to 2 weeks if you do not plan to store the cake long. You can sprinkle the rum directly over the cake or brush it onto the cake with a pastry brush.

What can I use instead of brandy in fruitcake? ›

Instead of brandy, you can use alternative liquids like apple juice, orange juice, or even tea to soak the dried fruits and add moisture and flavor to the cake.

How do you keep fruit cake moist with alcohol? ›

Fruitcakes are traditionally aged in a cloth wrapping of alcohol for at least five weeks. The alcohol preserves the cakes, fruits, and nuts within, and keeps everything moist.

What is a substitute for rum in fruit cake? ›

Yes, it is absolutely possible to make fruit cake without alcohol. You can replace the alcohol with fruit juice, such as orange juice or apple juice, to soak the dried fruits, adding flavor and moisture to the cake.

What kind of alcohol do you use for cakes? ›

Baking with booze—such as bourbon, rum, port and vodka—can add additional flavor, texture and even change the consistency of many baked goods. Take pie dough for example, adding a splash of vodka produces a super flakey dough and develops less gluten in the dough than water.

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