Fruit Cake

What is Fruit Cake?

Fruit cake is a rich cake flavored with spices and brandy, and typically has a large proportion of candied fruits and nuts baked in the cake, giving it a dense texture. Often fruit cake is soaked several times a month with brandy, which flavors and preserves the cake. The decadent soak also keeps the cake moist. It is an old fashioned wedding cake but modern bakers typically bake it as a Christmas cake.  

Ingredients Needed

• Dried & Candied Fruit: The recipe uses a combination of golden raisin, candied pineapple, and candied cherries. They add sweetness and they absorb some of that booze! Think of them like slow-release moisture vessels. If you’re looking for a cake with fresh fruit, my Orange Upside Down Cake has you covered!
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour has just the right amount of gluten to make a tender, soft cake. To avoid holes and “tunnels” in your cake, be careful not to overmix the batter. Add flour in several additions without waiting for all of the previous addition to be incorporated before adding the next. When in doubt, finish folding in the flour by hand.
• Baking Powder: Double acting baking powder will react instantly when it is mixed with an acid and then again when it is heated. Because it is double acting, it has a slower, more stable rise than baking soda.
• Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is less salty than table salt and a teaspoon weighs less than other finer ground varieties. It heightens the flavor here and will keep your cakes from tasting dull or flat.
• Cinnamon: I use Saigon cinnamon but any cinnamon will do.
• Ground Nutmeg: This recipe is written for pre-ground nutmeg. If you use freshly ground, then you’ll need to adjust the quantity by half or even 2/3rds. Fresh nutmeg has a completely different and wonderful flavor but it is stronger.
• Pecans: I love to use Southern pecans in baking. Nothing beats fresh, plump pecans. But any pecan halves will do. If you keep them for longer than a month or your kitchen is consistently warm, store them in the freezer to preserve freshness.
• Butter: I use unsalted butter for baking, because you want to control the amount of salt you are adding. Every brand is different and it makes adjusting the recipe a challenge.
• Sugar: I use granulated sugar in this cake. It is here for the more obvious flavor reasons, but also to aid in leavening, moisture, texture and stability.
• Eggs: Whole eggs allow you to emulsify all that oil into the batter, resulting in a moist, not greasy, cake. They also help with leavening by trapping air with the sugar.
• Brandy: Adding brandy or alcohol to a cake is for moisture and flavor. Alcohol does not hydrate the gluten in flour the same way that water does, so it will create a tender, moist cake.
• Honey

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

• Dried Fruit: If you don’t enjoy one or any of the dried fruit in this fruit cake recipe, substitute any that you do. Chopped dried apricots, pears and apples would also be a fun twist. Dried Tart cherries would bring a welcome burst of tart to balance the sweet.
• Candied Fruit: Use any combination of candied fruit that you desire. Next time I will use all dried fruit and omit the candied cherries and pineapple. Bring on the raisins!
• Nuts: Use any of your favorite nuts! Almonds, pecans, walnuts and pistachios all make great options. You could even use macadamia nuts for a tropical option, and then you have macadamia nuts in your house for a batch of White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. It’s a win-win!
• Non-Alcoholic: Substitute fruit juice or apple cider for the brandy in the recipe. You can soak the cake in apple cider or simply serve it fresh and forgo the soaking process completely. It will still be delightful.

How to Make Fruit Cake

Use these instructions to make the best fruit cake! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Make the cake:

Step 1: Spray and line a 10 inch tube pan with parchment paper. A non-removable bottomed tube pan works best. Bonus points for nonstick. 2 loaf pans will also work. I would still line them with parchment paper.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 275°F.

Step 3: In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add pecans, pineapple, cherries, and golden raisins. Toss to coat.

Step 4: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting until the first has incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the brandy.

Step 6: Add the dry ingredient/nut mixture to the batter and fold to incorporate. Pour into prepared pan and place in preheated oven.

Step 7: Fill a large baking dish or roasting pan with hot water and place below the cake in the oven. Do not bake the cake in the water.

Step 8: Bake 2 hours or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Step 9: Cool and unmold cake. Proceed to soaking if you want.

How to soak a fruit cake:

Step 1: I find the easiest way to soak a fruit cake is to stretch out a piece of plastic wrap on your counter and place the fruit cake upside down on the plastic wrap.

Step 2: Measure ½ – ¾ cup brandy or rum in a large measuring cup. Soak the kitchen or tea towel in the measuring cup until saturated.

Step 3: Place the soaked towel over the bottom of the fruit cake. Flip over while holding the towel to the sides. Cover the top of the fruit cake with the soaked towel.

Step 4: Wrap cake using the plastic wrap underneath and adding additional layers of plastic wrap until well-sealed.

Why is my homemade fruit cake dry?

Homemade fruit cake is commonly dry from over-baking, baking in too hot an oven, or not adding moisture from soaking. Un-soaked fruit cake should be served within a week of baking for the best flavor and texture. This fruit cake recipe is delightful un-soaked when eaten fresh!

Frequently Asked Questions