Fruit Cake

Full of fruit and nuts, this Fruit Cake recipe is a traditional holiday dessert that tastes better with time! Tender and moist, this is way better than store-bought!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 4 30

Cook Time 2

Total Time 6 30

Servings servings

Calories 534kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

2 9x5" loaf pans
Parchment paper
Mixing Bowls
Electric hand or stand mixer
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

2 cups dried apricots chopped (320g)
1 cup golden raisins (160g)
1 cup dark raisins (160g)
1 cup dried figs chopped (160g)
½ cup chopped crystallized ginger (80g)
1 cup rum or brandy plus more for brushing (240mL)
3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
1½ cups light brown sugar (330g)
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup candied cherries chopped (160g)
1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts) (140g)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the apricots, raisins, figs, crystallized ginger, and rum or brandy. Stir well. Cover and let the fruit soak for at least 4 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 300°. Grease 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans, and line with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ground ginger, and nutmeg.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Using a spatula, fold in the soaked fruit (along with any remaining liquid), candied cherries, and nuts. (The batter will be very thick.) Divide the batter evenly among both prepared pans.
Bake for 2 hours or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes and place on a wire rack. Generously brush the tops and sides of each cake with rum or brandy. Cool completely.
To store, wrap the cakes tightly in plastic wrap for 6 to 8 weeks. Or, wrap in cheesecloth soaked with rum or brandy and keep in an airtight container for several weeks to age.

Notes

You can substitute apple cider for the alcohol for a nonalcoholic version of this fruit cake. Orange juice is another delicious alternative.
Make sure to fold the batter thoroughly so you evenly dispersed all the fruit and nuts throughout the batter. It’s a good arm workout!
Do not skip soaking the fruit. The longer you have to soak it, the better! The longer the fruits soak, the better the flavor of the cake. The dried fruit will rehydrate and plump up and soak up the brandy or rum.
Due to the fillings and the crumb of the cake, I recommend using a serrated knife to slice the fruit cake when ready to serve.
The fruit cake improves in flavor as it sits, so I recommend you start the process of making the cake as soon as possible.
Make sure to measure the flour correctly. The dough will dry if you add too much flour, and your fruit cake will be too crumbly. The ideal way to measure flour is with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
Avoid overmixing the cake batter, as it’ll lead to a dense and dry cake.
It’s best to have your eggs at room temperature so they mix effortlessly into the batter. Bringing eggs to room temperature helps prevent the batter from being overmixed. If you forgot to set out your eggs, you could quickly bring them to room temperature by placing them in a large bowl and covering them with warm tap water for 5 minutes.

Nutrition