Fruit Cake

5 from 2 votes
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Set aside every stereotype you have ever heard about fruit cake. This Fruit Cake recipe is incredibly delicious, moist, and it’s a non alcohol version that the whole family can enjoy!

Two slices of stacked Fruit Cake next to a loaf.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in Fruit Cake
  2. Non-Alcohol Fruit Cake Soak
  3. Traditional Soaking Method
  4. Soaking and Baking Instructions
  5. More Christmas Gift Ideas
  6. How to Make Fruit Cake
  7. Fruit Cake Recipe

Fruit cake is a type of dense cake made with candied or dried fruits, nuts, and spices, often called the Christmas cake. My grandmother loved making and giving her special fruit cake to friends at Christmas time. The dense and rich texture is packed with flavor and was definitely a favorite of generations past.

Recent years have brought some lighthearted stereotypes about fruit cake, for being re-gifted, being too dense and heavy, and for having such a long shelf life that you could keep the same cake on hand for years. But really, if it’s made correctly, fruit cake can be a deliciously moist and flavorful treat for Christmas!

Ingredients in Fruit Cake

Yes, there are lots of little ingredients in this fruitcake recipe, but trust me, every chopped fruit and nut and every spice blends together to make a fragrant mixture that bakes up beautifully. Here’s what you need:

  • Dates – about three quarters of a cup, chopped.
  • Golden raisins – one cup. You can chop them into smaller bits if you like. Find them in the grocery store next to the other dried fruits.
  • Raisins – one cup, either whole or chopped.
  • Dried Tart Cherries – three quarters of a cup, chopped. You can find them under the name candied cherries too.
  • Maraschino cherries – one cup, drained and quartered
  • Orange juice or apple juice – three quarter cup
  • Flour – two cups, all purpose flour, sifted
  • Baking soda – one teaspoon
  • Baking powder – half a teaspoon
  • Salt – half teaspoon kosher or table salt
  • Homemade pumpkin pie spice – our homemade spice is easy to make and lasts forever! You’ll need just under two teaspoons for this recipe.
  • Butter – one cube of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • Brown sugar – three quarter cup
  • Egg – one whole, large egg
  • Sour cream – half cup regular sour cream. The addition of sour cream is a tried and true secret ingredient I like to use in cakes like our nothing bundt cakes and breads to keep the moisture and add flavor.
  • Sweetened dried orange slices – one third cup or any candied fruit you like.
  • Candied ginger – two tablespoons, finely chopped
  • Pecans and walnuts – half a cup, chopped
  • Additional Fruits and Spices
Ingredients to make Fruit Cake including golden raisins, raisins, dates, dried cherries, brown sugar, orange juice, flour, sweetened dried orange, candied ginger, egg, butter, sour cream, chopped nuts, cherries, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda.


If you like a little more fruit or spice, try adding any fruit mixture of these ingredients:

  • Currants
  • Apricots
  • Orange zest
  • Lemon zest
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Cloves
  • Candied orange peel or citrus peel


Non-Alcohol Fruit Cake Soak

Rum or brandy is often used to soak the dried fruits before adding them to the cake batter. The alcohol is used to enhance the overall taste of this dessert. However this is a non alcohol version that the whole family can enjoy! This fruit cake recipe uses orange juice or apple juice instead of the traditional brandy soak. It gives the cake a deep orange citrus flavor that complements the orange and other fruits in the cake perfectly.

Mixing bowl with soaked dried fruit.

Traditional Soaking Method

Covered mixing bowl with soaking dried fruit in orange juice.

This recipe uses the Fast Soak method for dried fruit. Traditionally, the dried fruit needs at least a day or two of soaking before baking, You can still use this traditional method if you like: place the fruit in the bowl with orange juice cover it with cheesecloth or plastic wrap, and let it sit on the counter for 24-72 hours before baking. The dried fruit will absorb all that yummy liquid.


Soaking and Baking Instructions

Dried fruit can soak up the moisture in any baked good so be sure to follow the soaking instructions or you may end up with a dry Fruit Cake.

  1. First, place dried fruit and orange juice in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 90 seconds. See notes below for a more traditional soaking method.
  2. Stir with a wooden spoon, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 to 1 ½ hours to allow fruit to absorb the liquid and cool. 
  3. Preheat oven to 325℉ and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and non stick cooking spray. Set Aside the prepared pan. You can also bake mini loaves. Prepare the loaf pans the same way.
  4. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together with a whisk. Then set aside.
  5. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together. Then add sour cream and egg; mix until combined.
  6. Add dry ingredients to the mixer and barely combine.
  7. Add ginger, nuts and soaked fruit along with liquid from soaking the fruit and fold together until everything is evenly combined.
  8. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 ½-2 hours until toothpick comes out clean from the center of the loaf.
  9. Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan and let it continue to cool on a cooling rack.
Knife slicing into a Fruit Cake loaf.

Read More: 25+ Christmas Dessert Ideas

More Christmas Gift Ideas

Food is always an ideal gift to give loved ones around the holidays, and there are SO many sweet and savory ideas to whip up in your kitchen. Try some of our favorites:

How to Make Fruit Cake

Three slices of Fruit Cake stacked together on a cutting board next to a loaf of Fruit Cake.

Fruit Cake

5 from 2 votes
Put aside every stereotype you ever heard about fruit cake. This Fruit Cake Recipe is incredibly delicious, moist, and it's a non alcohol version that the whole family can enjoy!
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course cake
Cuisine English
Servings 12

Equipment

  • 9" x 5" Loaf pan

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup dates chopped
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup raisins
  • ¾ cup dried tart cherries chopped
  • ¾ cup maraschino cherries quartered
  • ¾ cup orange juice or apple juice
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ cup butter room temperature
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup sweetened dried orange slices
  • 2 tablespoons candied ginger finely chopped
  • ½ cup pecans and walnuts chopped

Instructions

  • Place dried fruit and orange juice in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 90 seconds.
    Mixing bowl of dried fruit, maraschino cherries and orange juice. Wooden spoon on the side.
  • Stir, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 to 1 ½ hours to allow fruit to absorb the liquid and cool. *See Notes
    Covered mixing bowl with soaking dried fruit in orange juice.
  • Preheat oven to 325℉ and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and non stick cooking spray. Set Aside.
    Fruit cake pan with parchment paper in the loaf pan.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
    Mixing bowl with dry ingredients and whisk.
  • With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together.
    Mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugar. Electric mixing beaters resting in the bowl.
  • Add sour cream and egg; mix until combined.
    Mixing bowl with fruit cake batter and egg. Electric mixer beaters are resting in the bowl.
  • Add dry ingredients to the mixer and barely combine.
    Mixing bowl with Fruit Cake batter base. Mixing beaters are resting in the bowl.
  • Add ginger, nuts and soaked fruit along with liquid from soaking the fruit and fold together until everything is evenly combined.
    Fruit mixed into mixing bowl with spatula.
  • Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 ½-2 hours until toothpick comes out clean from the center of the loaf.
    Unbaked Fruit Cake in a pan lined with parchment paper.
  • Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan and let it continue to cool on a cooling rack.
    Baked Fruit Cake in a loaf pan.
  • Store wrapped in plastic wrap or an airtight container.
    Cooling Fruit Cake on a cooling rack.

Notes

*This recipe uses a Fast Soak method for the Dried Fruit with the use of the microwave. Traditionally the dried fruit in a fruit cake needs at least 24 hours to several days of soaking prior to baking. You can still use the traditional method in this recipe to have a successful fruit cake.
Regular Soak Method: Place the fruit in the bowl with orange juice and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for 24-72 hours until you are ready to bake the Fruit Cake. The dried fruit will absorb the liquid. 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 411kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 269mgPotassium: 389mgFiber: 4gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 638IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 2mg

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Heidi Rasmussen

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  1. 6 stars I will be going out to do my shopping so that I can make it to give it to my daughter-in-law and her mother who is arriving for Christmas for abroad,