Traditional Fruit Cake
This traditional fruit cake is a nostalgic, heartwarming holiday classic made with dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices. Every slice is rich, moist, and filled with memories of homemade love — perfect for gifting, sharing, or savoring with a warm cup of tea.
Equipment
- Cake Pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 4 large eggs
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
- 0.5 tsp nutmeg ground
Fruits & Nuts
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup raisins
- 0.5 cup golden sultanas
- 0.5 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup mixed candied fruit
Flavors & Liquids
- 0.25 cup orange juice plus extra for brushing
- 2 tbsp brandy or rum optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and line a loaf or round cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine raisins, sultanas, dates, and candied fruit. Pour in orange juice and brandy. Stir and let soak while prepping other ingredients.
- Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternating with soaked fruit (including the soaking liquid).
- Stir in chopped nuts and vanilla extract.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 1½ to 2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing. Wrap and rest for best flavor.
Notes
Soak the dried fruit overnight for best results. Wrap the cake tightly and let it rest a day before slicing for clean cuts and deeper flavor. This cake stores well and even improves over time!