Moist Fruit Cake Recipe: Easy Dark Christmas Fruit Cake
This moist fruit cake recipe is the one to make before Christmas. The dried fruit soaks overnight in brandy and juice, so by the time it goes into the batter it’s plump, juicy and full of flavor. Dark brown sugar, molasses and warm spices make the cake dark and rich, and a little oil keeps the crumb soft all the way through.
It’s an easy Christmas fruit cake to make. There’s no long creaming, no fiddly steps and no weeks of feeding required. Soak the fruit the night before, mix the batter with an electric beater, then bake it low and slow. It’s moist and flavorful enough to eat plain, or you can serve it the traditional way with pouring custard.
Why You’ll Love My Favorite Moist Christmas Fruit Cake
Fruit cake can be tricky to keep moist, so this recipe builds moisture in at every stage. The fruit soaks overnight so it plumps up instead of pulling moisture out of the batter. Dark brown sugar and molasses add moisture and a deep, caramel flavor, and the oil keeps the cake tender. And if your cake does come out a little dry, it can be saved (see below).
It’s also simple. You only need one bowl for the batter and an electric beater, and there’s no rolling or shaping. The overnight soak is the only part that takes planning, and it’s hands-off.
The flavor is classic: raisins, apricots, dates, glacé cherries and mixed peel, with allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. If you’re after a dark fruit cake recipe that’s rich without being heavy, this is it.
Simple Ingredients
- Dried fruit: Raisins, dried apricots, dates, glacé cherries and mixed peel make up the fruit mix. Chop everything to the sizes listed so the slices hold together and every bite has a bit of everything.
- Brandy and juice: This is what the fruit soaks in overnight. The brandy adds depth and the juice adds sweetness. Together they plump up the fruit so it stays juicy through a long bake.
- Butter and vegetable oil: Butter gives flavor and the oil keeps the cake soft and moist. Using both is part of why this cake stays tender.
- Dark brown sugar: Packed dark brown sugar gives the cake its deep color and a rich, caramel flavor.
- Molasses or golden syrup: Adds moisture and a darker, more traditional flavor. Golden syrup works if that’s what you have.
- Allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg: The classic Christmas spices. They keep the flavor warm and familiar without overpowering the fruit.
- Walnuts: Optional, but they add a bit of crunch against the soft fruit.
Recipe Details
- Servings: 20
- Preparation time: 30 active minutes, plus soaking fruit overnight
- Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes covered, plus 30 to 45 minutes uncovered
- Total time: About 3 hours 15 minutes baking, plus overnight soaking and cooling
Recommended Equipment
- 8-9″ / 21-22 cm round cake pan (2.77″ / 7 cm tall)
- Parchment paper (baking paper) Large glass container, for soaking the fruit
- Electric beater Aluminum foil Skewer Cooling rack
What Is Needed
Soaked fruit
- 300 g / 10 oz raisins
- 150 g / 5 oz dried apricots, chopped into 1/3″ / 8 mm pieces
- 75 g / 2.5 oz mixed peel, diced into 1/5″ / 5 mm pieces
- 150 g / 5 oz glacé cherries, chopped into 1/3″ / 8 mm pieces
- 180 g / 6 oz dates, diced into 1/5″ / 5 mm pieces
- brandy and juice, made up of 1/3 cup brandy and 2/3 cup juice
- alcohol free – juice only 1 cup
Cake
- 120 g / 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp molasses or golden syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 2/3 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
How to Make Moist Christmas Fruit Cake
Soak the Fruit: Place the raisins, apricots, mixed peel, glacé cherries and dates in a large glass container. Pour over the brandy and juice and stir until all the fruit is coated. Cover and set aside overnight so the fruit plumps up.
Prepare the Pan: Preheat the oven to 320°F / 160°C (140°C fan). Grease an 8-9″ / 21-22 cm round cake pan and line it with parchment paper. The pan should be about 2.75″ / 7 cm tall.
Cream the Butter and Sugar: Using an electric beater, beat the butter and dark brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Use high speed. It takes approximately 1 minute.
Add the Oil and Flavorings: Add the oil and molasses and beat until combined. Add the salt, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder and beat until incorporated.
Add the Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just incorporated after each one.
Fold In the Flour and Fruit: Stir in the flour. When it’s mostly incorporated, stir in the soaked fruit, including all the extra liquid in the bowl, and the walnuts if you’re using them.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 to 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean with no batter on it. Check at 30 minutes first.
Cool: Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before serving.
Top Tips
- Don’t skip the overnight soak: It’s what plumps up the fruit and keeps the cake moist.
- Chop the fruit to size: Apricots and cherries at 1/3″ / 8 mm and dates and peel at 1/5″ / 5 mm give you even slices that hold together.
- Add all the liquid: Stir in everything left in the soaking bowl along with the fruit.
- Keep the foil on: The first 2 1/2 hours covered keeps the top from over-browning.
- Test early: Check with a skewer at 30 minutes after removing the foil, since ovens vary.
- Cool completely: Let the cake cool fully before cutting so the slices stay neat.
Recipe Variations
- Without nuts: Leave out the walnuts. They’re optional.
- Golden syrup instead of molasses: Swap it in equal amounts for a slightly lighter flavor.
How to Keep Fruit Cake Moist
Fruit cake is one of the harder cakes to keep moist, and a lot depends on the baking. A few extra minutes in the oven or a hot spot can dry it out. The good news is that a fruit cake can almost always be saved, and I’ve included a full rescue method below.
This recipe gives you a head start. The fruit is already plump and juicy from the overnight soak, the batter uses both butter and oil, and the dark brown sugar and molasses help keep the crumb soft. Covering the cake with foil for the first 2 1/2 hours stops the top from drying out during the long bake.
How to Save a Dry Fruit Cake
If your cake comes out drier than you wanted, don’t throw it out or serve it as is. Fruit cake is very forgiving, and you can bring it back by “feeding” it with a little alcohol or juice. This also works for a cake that has been sitting for a few days. Here’s how.
Poke Holes: Use a wooden skewer, toothpick or kebab stick to poke small holes all over the top and sides of the cake. You can do this while the cake is still warm or after it has cooled.
Feed the Cake with Alcohol or Juice: Spoon or brush 1 to 2 tablespoons of brandy, rum, whisky, sherry or Drambuie over the cake. If you’d rather skip the alcohol, use citrus juice or apple juice instead. Let it soak in.
Repeat if Needed: Feed the cake again, a little at a time, until it feels moist. Go easy on each round so the liquid soaks in rather than pooling on top.
Feed the Cake with Alcohol or Juice: Spoon or brush 1 to 2 tablespoons of brandy, rum, whisky, sherry or Drambuie over the cake. If you’d rather skip the alcohol, use citrus juice or apple juice instead. Let it soak in.
Repeat if Needed: Feed the cake again, a little at a time, until it feels moist. Go easy on each round so the liquid soaks in rather than pooling on top.
Wrap It Tightly: Wrapping locks in the moisture, so don’t skip this step. Use three layers:
- First layer: Wrap the cake in baking parchment, or in cheesecloth soaked in a little spirit.
- Second layer: Wrap it tightly in plastic cling film or wax paper.
- Outer layer: Finish with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Store It Properly: Place the wrapped cake in a metal cake tin or an airtight plastic container. See how to store and reheat below for how long it keeps.
How to Store and Reheat
Storing: Place the wrapped cake in a metal cake tin or an airtight plastic container. See How to Store and Reheat below for how long it keeps.
Freezing: Feed the cake before you freeze it. This lets the moisture and flavor lock into the cake while it’s stored. Here’s the timeline:
Cool and Feed First: Let the freshly baked cake cool completely. Poke holes in the top and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of alcohol (such as brandy or rum) or fruit juice over it.
Rest Before Wrapping: Let the cake sit covered at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. This gives the liquid time to soak evenly through the crumb before the cold air freezes it in place.
Wrap and Freeze: For freezing, wrap the cake tightly in a layer of baking parchment, followed by two layers of plastic wrap, and a final layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’d rather freeze individual servings, cut the cake into the pieces you want, wrap each piece in parchment paper, then in foil, so you can take out just what you need.
Don’t feed it while it’s frozen. You don’t need to unwrap and feed the cake in the freezer. The freezing temperature already pauses moisture loss and flavor aging.
Thawing: Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator while it’s still wrapped, so condensation doesn’t make the outside soggy.
Refresh (Optional): Once the cake is thawed and at room temperature, brush it with one final tablespoon of alcohol or warm apricot jam just before icing or serving, for extra shine and moisture.
Reheating: To reheat slices of this fruit cake, microwave them on medium power in short bursts of 10 to 15 seconds.
What to Serve With It
This cake is so moist and full of flavor that it can be eaten plain. If you want to dress it up:
- Warm pouring custard, the traditional way
- A cup of tea or coffee
- Whipped cream or a spoonful of cream on the side
How to cut it: Cut thin wedges, or cut the cake into strips about 3/4″ / 2 cm wide, then cut those strips into serving-size pieces. The strips are handy for parties and gifting.
What to Do With Leftover Fruit Cake
Leftover fruit cake is dense, rich and packed with spiced dried fruit, so it makes a great base for new desserts instead of just another plain slice. Here are my favorite ways to use it up.
Frozen and Chilled Desserts
- Fruit Cake Ice Cream: Crumble chunks of leftover fruit cake into softened vanilla or rum raisin ice cream, then refreeze until firm. The cake softens slightly in the ice cream and adds chewy bursts of spiced fruit.
- Trifle Base: Use sliced fruit cake instead of sponge fingers at the bottom of a trifle dish. Drizzle it with sherry or orange juice, then layer with custard, whipped cream and fresh berries.
- Cake Pops or Rum Balls: Pulse leftover cake in a food processor with a splash of brandy, rum or melted chocolate until it forms a sticky dough. Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls and coat them in melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder or desiccated coconut. For more ideas, see my cake pop recipes and easy rum balls.
Warm and Baked Treats
- Bread and Butter Pudding: Slice the fruit cake into thin triangles, butter them lightly and arrange them in a baking dish. Pour a rich egg-and-cream custard over the slices and bake until golden and puffed.
- Stuffed Baked Apples: Core whole apples and pack the centers with crumbled fruit cake, chopped pecans and a dab of butter. Bake until the apples are tender and the filling is warm and caramelized.
- Toasted with Cheese: Slice the fruit cake thinly and toast it lightly under a grill or in a pan. Serve it warm alongside sharp cheddar, stilton or brie for a classic sweet-and-salty pairing.
Breakfast and Toppings
- Fruit Cake French Toast: Dip thick slices of sturdy fruit cake into an egg and milk batter and pan-fry in butter until crisp on the outside. Serve with Greek yogurt or a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Parfait or Yogurt Crumble: Toast small crumbs of fruit cake in a dry pan until crisp, then sprinkle them over morning oatmeal, Greek yogurt or roasted stone fruit.
Looking for more festive baking? Try our stollen bread or figgy pudding, or browse all of our Christmas food ideas for dinner, dessert and holiday parties.
Moist Christmas Cake
Ingredients
- 300 g / 10 oz raisins
- 150 g / 5 oz dried apricots chopped into 8 mm / 1/3″ pieces
- 75 g / 2.5 oz mixed peel diced into 5 mm / 1/5″ pieces
- 150 g / 5 oz glacé cherries chopped into 8 mm / 1/3″ pieces
- 180 g / 6 oz dates diced into 5 mm / 1/5″ pieces
- brandy and juice made up of 1/3 cup brandy and 2/3 cup juice
- alcohol free – juice only 1 cup apple juice or pineapple juice
- 120 g / 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp molasses or golden syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 2/3 cups plain all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Soak the Fruit: Place the raisins, apricots, mixed peel, glacé cherries and dates in a large glass container. Pour over the brandy and juice and stir until all the fruit is coated. Cover and set aside overnight so the fruit plumps up.
- Prepare the Pan: Preheat the oven to 320°F / 160°C (140°C fan). Grease an 8-9″ / 21-22 cm round cake pan and line it with parchment paper. The pan should be about 2.75″ / 7 cm tall.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: Using an electric beater, beat the butter and dark brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Use high speed. It takes approximately 1 minute.
- Add the Oil and Flavorings: Add the oil and molasses and beat until combined. Add the salt, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder and beat until incorporated.
- Add the Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just incorporated after each one.
- Fold In the Flour and Fruit: Stir in the flour. When it’s mostly incorporated, stir in the soaked fruit, including all the extra liquid in the bowl, and the walnuts if you’re using them.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 to 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean with no batter on it. Check at 30 minutes first.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before serving.
Notes
Michelle
Hi, I’m Michelle, the founder, owner, author, and editor of OvenSpot. My passion for one-pot cooking commenced when I was working to prepare cafeteria lunches for school students. I am now on a mission to assist you in choosing the cooking pot or appliance you will use daily. As well as in-depth information to assist you in using and caring for your cookware and appliances. Along with the yummy recipes I use at home.
Questions? Reach out to Michelle at [email protected]