4.4 from 177 votes
Non-Alcoholic Christmas Fruit Cake
This Non-Alcoholic Christmas Fruit Cake blends muscovado sugar, soft butter, and a mixture of dried fruits including cranberries, currants, sultanas, and chopped glace cherries into a fragrant spiced batter. Using warm spices like allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, and fresh nutmeg, the cake is baked slow and low to a firm texture with a moist crumb. Unlike traditional recipes, it omits alcohol for a family-friendly holiday dessert that still delivers rich fruit and spice flavors.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 15 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
10
slices
Calories:
781 kcal
Course:
Cake
Cuisine:
British
Ingredients
- 250 g butter 9 oz/ 1 cup + 1½ tablespoon, soft, Note 2, unsalted
- 200 g muscovado sugar 7 oz/ 1 cup, Note 3
- 4 egg
- 250 g all-purpose flour 9 oz/ 2 cups + 1 tablespoon
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- nutmeg a few gratings; fresh
- 100 g dried cranberries 3.5 oz/ ½ cup
- 150 g currants 5.5 oz/ ¾ cup, dried
- 250 g sultana 9 oz/ 1 ¼ cups, or raisins
- 100 g glace cherries 3.5 oz/ ½ cup, Note 4, chopped
- icing sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 280°F/ 140°C. Butter the springform and line its bottom with parchment paper.
- Batter: Place the soft butter, muscovado sugar, eggs, flour, salt, all-spice, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix well.250 g unsalted butter/ 1 cup +1 tablespoon butter + 200 g muscovado sugar/ 1 cup + 4 eggs + 250 g all-purpose flour/ 2 cups + 1 tablespoon flour + 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder + pinch of salt + ¼ teaspoon ground all-spice + ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom + ¼ teaspoon cinnamon + a few gratings of fresh nutmeg
- Add cranberries, currants, sultanas or raisins, and glace cherries.100 g dried cranberries/ ½ cup + 150 g dried currants/ ¾ cup + 250 g sultanas or raisins/ 1¼ cup + 100 g chopped glacé cherries/ ½ cup
- Bake: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 2 to 2 ¼ hours or until the cake is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Check the cake after one hour or so and loosely cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too dark.
- Let the cake cool in the baking dish, then turn it out.
- Serve: You can serve the Christmas fruit cake immediately, but it is even better if served the next day. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving, if desired.
- Make in advance: If you make it one day in advance, let it cool completely, wrap it in aluminum foil, and leave it at room temperature until the next day.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- You can bake the cake in an 8½–9-inch cake tin or springform; reduce baking time and start checking doneness after about 1 hour 50 minutes.
- Using a digital kitchen scale helps achieve accurate measurements, which improves baking outcomes.
- Muscovado sugar can be substituted with brown sugar minus one tablespoon plus one tablespoon molasses for a similar taste.
- Replace some glace cherries with candied peel or dried nuts like walnuts or pecans for variation.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1slice
Calories
781kcal
(39%)
Carbohydrates
145g
(48%)
Protein
7g
(14%)
Fat
23g
(35%)
Saturated Fat
13g
(65%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
8g
(47%)
Cholesterol
128mg
(43%)
Sodium
122mg
(5%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
118g
(236%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 10 slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 781
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 781kcal | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 145g | 48% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 8g | 47% |
| Cholesterol | 128mg | 43% |
| Sodium | 122mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 118g | 236% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.