Description
Indulge in the festive spirit with our Best Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe! This delightful cake is a vibrant blend of dried fruits, nuts, and aromatic spices, making it a perfect centerpiece for your holiday celebrations. Its rich flavor profile and moist texture are sure to impress family and friends alike. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or looking for a thoughtful gift, this homemade fruit cake is versatile enough for any occasion. Plus, it gets better with age, improving in flavor as it sits. Easy to prepare and customize with your favorite dried fruits, this fruit cake is a true holiday tradition that everyone will cherish.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (175g) unsalted butter, chopped
- 1 packed cup (210g) light brown muscovado sugar
- 2 + 2/3 cups (400g) mixed dried fruit
- 1 cup (200g) glacé cherries, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (100g) dried cranberries
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cherry apple juice
- 1/2 cup (85g) ground almonds, coarsely ground
- 3 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 1 + 2/3 cup (200g) plain/all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- Cherry apple juice (1-2 tbsp per week for feeding)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and prepare your loaf pan by greasing it or lining it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, orange zest, orange juice, and lemon zest; mix well.
- In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in the mixed dried fruit, glacé cherries, dried cranberries, and ground almonds.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 105 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Allow cooling before brushing with cherry apple juice weekly to enhance moisture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 105 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Holiday
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (60g)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: Use high-quality dried fruits to elevate flavor. Let the cake rest for at least 24 hours after baking for improved taste. Feel free to experiment with different spices like nutmeg or ginger.