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Moist Fruit Cake Recipe with Boiled Dried Fruit

Moist Fruit Cake Recipe

A tender boiled-fruit cake made with dried fruit, orange zest, warm spices, and brown sugar. Optional brandy, rum, cherries, and nuts make it especially festive and flavorful.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fruit and Liquid Mixture
  • 500 g Mixed dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped dates, or mixed peel
  • 100 g Glacé cherries, halved, optional
  • 125 g Unsalted butter
  • 150 g Soft brown sugar
  • 250 ml Water
  • 1 orange Finely grated orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda
Wet Ingredients
  • 2 large eggs Large eggs, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons Brandy, rum, or orange juice, optional
Dry Ingredients
  • 250 g Plain or all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Mixed spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 100 g Chopped walnuts or almonds, optional

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 150°C/300°F, or 140°C fan. Grease and thoroughly line the base and sides of a deep 20 cm/8-inch round cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Place the dried fruit, optional glacé cherries, butter, brown sugar, water, and orange zest in a saucepan. Heat gently until the butter melts, then simmer for about 5 minutes.
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the baking soda. The mixture may foam slightly, so use a large enough pan, then leave it to cool until lukewarm for 15 to 25 minutes.
  4. Beat the eggs into the lukewarm fruit mixture, adding the optional brandy or rum at the same time. Do not add the eggs while the mixture is hot, or they may scramble.
  5. Sift the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the fruit mixture just until combined, then fold in the optional chopped nuts.
  6. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake on the lower-middle oven rack for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool the cake in the tin for 20 to 30 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. For a richer traditional flavor, brush the warm cake with 1 to 2 tablespoons of brandy or rum.
  8. Wrap the completely cooled cake tightly and leave it overnight before cutting. The cake becomes moister and more flavorful as it rests.

Notes

For optional feeding, brush the cooled cake with a small amount of brandy or rum every few days for up to 2 weeks, keeping it tightly wrapped. Omit alcohol if serving children or avoiding alcohol.