Christmas Cake - EASY moist fruit cake
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs 15 mins
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Fruit soaking
1 hr
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Total Time
4 hrs 45 mins
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Servings
20 - 25 people
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Calories
388 kcal
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Course
Dessert
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Cuisine
American, Australian, British
Christmas Cake - EASY moist fruit cake
Description
This Christmas Cake recipe starts with a generous mix of dried fruits including raisins, apricots, mixed peel, cherries, and dates soaked in apple juice or a brandy and juice combination. After soaking, these fruits swell and infuse the cake with moisture and flavor. The batter combines softened butter, dark brown sugar, vegetable oil, molasses, and traditional spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice for warmth and depth.
The cake is baked slowly in a lined round pan, first covered with foil and then uncovered near the end to ensure thorough cooking without drying out. This slow bake creates a cake that is firm yet moist and richly flavored, making it well suited to the dense texture expected of traditional fruit cakes. Optional chopped walnuts add texture contrast.
The cake can be served plain or with a pouring custard for added richness. Decorating options include covering the cake with marzipan and white fondant, often adorned with a diamond quilt pattern and candied cherries for a classic holiday look. The cake keeps well, stored in an airtight container for weeks, or frozen for longer preservation.
Modifications on fruit types, juices, or alcohol content cater to personal taste preferences, and the recipe includes detailed notes on sourcing ingredients and decorating tips to achieve an appealing festive presentation.
Ingredients
Fast soaked fruit (Note 1):
- 300g / 10 oz raisins
- 150g / 5 oz dried apricot chopped 8 mm / 1/3", diced
- 75g / 2.5 oz mixed peel , diced 5mm / 1/5
- 150g / 5 oz glace cherry , chopped 8 mm / 1/3"
- 180g / 6 oz dates , diced 5mm / 1/5"
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp apple juice Note 2, or 1/3 brandy + 2/3 apple juice
Cake:
- 120g / 8 tbsp butter softened (1 US stick, unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar , packed (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or canola, peanut, grapeseed)
- 3 tbsp molasses Note 4, or golden syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 egg large
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 2/3 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 3/4 cup walnuts , chopped (optional)
For serving (optional)
- 500ml / 1 pint custard homemade or store bought (Note 5, pouring
White Christmas Cake decoration, as pictured (optional)
- 250g / 8 oz marzipan ready to roll
- 250g / 8 oz white fondant ready to roll
- cherries dusted with icing sugar
Other Decorating Options (optional)
- cherries on plain cake, looks very pretty!, or other fruit, dusted with icing sugar
- white glaze directions below, drippy
Instructions
Fast Soaked Fruit:
- Place dried fruit and juice/brandy in a large microwavable container. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes on high or until hot.
- Stir to coat all fruit in liquid. Cover then set aside for 1 hour (to plump up/soak and cool).
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line a 21 - 22 cm / 8 - 9" round cake pan with baking paper (parchment paper) (7 cm / 2.75" tall).
- Using an electric beater, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute on speed 5).
- Add oil and molasses, beat until combined.
- Add salt, spices and baking powder - beat until incorporated.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated
- Stir in the flour.
- When mostly incorporated, stir in the fruit mix (including all the extra liquid in bowl) and walnuts (if using).
- Pour into cake pan, cover with foil and bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil then bake for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into middle comes out clean with no batter on it (check first at 30 minutes).
- Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.
- Cake is moist and so full flavoured, it can be eaten plain. But see below for decorating and serving ideas (traditionally served with pouring custard).
- Cutting: Either cut into thin wedges, or cut cake into thin strips (2cm / 0.75" or so), then cut those strips into serving size pieces.
Christmas Cake Decorating options:
- Traditional White Christmas Cake (pictured in post) - Marzipan and fondant, see Decorating Note.
- Simple - pile top with fresh cherries or other fruit, dust with icing sugar (powdered sugar). Wrap a ribbon around the cake for extra touch!
- Drippy white glaze - use the glaze in this Lemon Cake recipe, but leave out the lemon juice (ie make a plain sweet white glaze). Flip cake upside down for flat surface then glaze per that recipe.
- Serving - serve with custard for a traditional experience! Either homemade custard or store bought pouring custard (jazz it up by mixing in vanilla seed paste!).
Notes
- Use finely chopped dried fruits totaling about 855g for the best texture; mixed peel should be diced and not replaced with fresh peel.
- Soak fruit mixture in apple juice or a blend of brandy and juice for at least an hour to plump the fruit and moisten the cake.
- Brown sugar and molasses enhance the cake's rich color and flavor; regular brown sugar may be substituted resulting in a lighter cake.
- The cake can be decorated with marzipan and fondant for traditional appearance; marzipan provides a smooth base layer, fondant adds a decorative finish.
- Leftover cake keeps well refrigerated for up to a month or frozen for longer storage.
- Serve slices in small portions as the cake is dense and rich, ideal for 20 to 25 servings.
- Optional custard accompaniment adds creamy contrast and enhances serving experience.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20- 25 people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 388 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 388cal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 64g | 21% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 38mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 127mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 413mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 37g | 74% |
| Vitamin A | 469IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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