Easy Moist Fruit Cake
This easy moist fruit cake is packed with dried fruits, warm spices, citrus zest and syrup, and is perfect for creating cozy baking memories that feel like home.
Equipment
- Large Saucepan
- 8×3‑inch Cake Tin
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
Fruit & Syrup Base
- 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
- 0.75 cup soft brown sugar
- 2 cups mixed dried fruits raisins, currants, cherries, citrus peel
- 0.5 cup dates chopped
- 0.67 cup sweetened orange juice
- 1.5 tbsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp molasses
Dry Ingredients & Cake Batter
- 1.75 cups all‑purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon powder
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger powder
- 0.25 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp allspice
Wet Binding Ingredients
- 0.25 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
Glaze
- 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1.75 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, dried fruits, chopped dates, orange juice, orange zest, and molasses. Simmer over medium heat until the fruit softens and mixture melds.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and allow to cool completely (or chill ≈ 45 min in fridge) until thick and syrupy.
- Preheat oven to 285 °F (140 °C). Line and grease an 8×3‑inch cake tin with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice until well combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk vegetable oil and eggs, then fold this into the cooled fruit mixture. Add walnuts.
- Fold in the dry flour‑spice mixture until just combined — batter will be thick and sticky.
- Spoon into prepared tin, smooth top, and bake for 75‑85 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Top should be golden and fragrant.
- While still warm, brush the top and sides with the orange juice & sugar glaze. Then turn off oven and let cake rest inside for 20‑30 min. Remove and let cool completely.
Notes
This fruit cake improves if wrapped tightly and rested for 48 hours before cutting — flavors deepen and texture becomes wonderfully moist.