This super moist fruit cake recipe helps you create a soft and moist cake with ease. It’s one of the simplest and easiest versions of making a traditional fruit cake. By boiling the dried fruits in liquid, the raisins and dried fruits become soft and plump, resulting in a deliciously moist cake. This method is one of the least messy ways to make a fruit cake, and no special equipment is required, just a saucepan and a wooden spoon.
If you’d like to substitute nuts in your fruit cake recipe, here are a few options that can still add texture and flavour without the nuts:
- Dried Fruits: Add more dried fruits like apricots, raisins, or cranberries to make up for the volume of the nuts.
- Chocolate Chips: Dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips can add a delightful twist and a bit of indulgence.
- Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or chia seeds can add a nice crunch without the nut allergens.
- Coconut Flakes: Shredded or flaked coconut can add a tropical twist and some texture.
- Oats: Rolled oats can provide a bit of chewiness and help bulk up the cake mixture.
You can mix and match these substitutions based on your preference. Enjoy baking your customized fruit cake!
Reliable Fruit Cake Recipe
This super moist fruit cake recipe helps you create a soft and moist cake with ease. It's one of the simplest and easiest versions of making a traditional fruit cake.
Equipment
- 1 Aluminium Cake Tin 10 cm Size
Ingredients
- 700ml mixed fruitcake mix
- 125g glazed cherries soaked in cherry liqueur, brandy or sherry
- 125g dates shredded
- 50g walnuts
- 250ml sugar
- 5ml baking soda
- 125ml butter
- 300ml water
- 125ml cooking oil
- 5ml mixed spices
- 10ml cinnamon
- 3ml nutmeg
- 500ml sifted cake flour
- 5ml salt
- 7.5ml baking powder
- 2 eggs well beaten
- 5ml rum flavouring, caramel, or 20ml rum essence
Instructions
- Prepare the batter for a 1 x 22 cm pan. Ensure the pan is lined thoroughly with paper to prevent the fruit from burning. You can also make 1 1/2 times the recipe to bake 3 x 18 cm cakes.
- Boil the fruits, cherries, dates, sugar, baking soda, butter, oil, and water for 25 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 160ºC / 320ºF (reduce by 10 degrees for fan ovens).
- Add well-beaten eggs, seasoning, and essence to the cooled mixture. Set aside.
- Sift all the dry ingredients together.
- Combine the dry ingredients with the fruit mixture, adding the egg mixture slowly and mixing thoroughly.
- Spoon the cake mixture into a greased cake tin lined with 3 layers of well-greased brown or baking paper. Cover with a layer of foil.
- Bake in a moderate oven at 160ºC / 320ºF (reduce by 10 degrees for fan ovens) for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until a test pin comes out clean (time depends on cake size).
- Carefully remove the cake and place it on a rack. Pour a tot or two of brandy, sherry, or cherry liqueur over it and allow to cool completely. You can set the liquor alight to evaporate the bitterness.
- Cover with foil and add a little brandy, sherry, or cherry liqueur each week for the next 4 weeks, turning the cake upside down to help the moisture spread evenly.