Description
This EASY moist Christmas fruit cake is rich, dense, and packed with a variety of soaked dried fruits, nuts, and warming spices. Perfectly moist with deep flavors developed by soaking the fruit beforehand, it can be enjoyed plain or decorated traditionally with marzipan and fondant for a festive touch. Serve with pouring custard for the ultimate holiday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Fast Soaked Fruit:
- 300g / 10 oz raisins
- 150g / 5 oz diced dried apricots, chopped 8 mm / 1/3"
- 75g / 2.5 oz mixed peel, diced 5mm / 1/5"
- 150g / 5 oz glace cherries, chopped 8 mm / 1/3"
- 180g / 6 oz dates, diced 5mm / 1/5"
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp apple juice, or 1/3 cup brandy + 2/3 cup apple juice
Cake:
- 120g / 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (1 US stick)
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or canola, peanut, grapeseed)
- 3 tbsp molasses or golden syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp all spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 2/3 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
For Serving (optional):
- 500ml / 1 pint pouring custard, homemade or store bought
White Christmas Cake Decoration (optional):
- 250g / 8 oz "ready to roll" marzipan
- 250g / 8 oz "ready to roll" white fondant
- Cherries dusted with icing sugar
Other Decorating Options (optional):
- Cherries or other fruit dusted with icing sugar (on plain cake)
- Drippy white glaze (plain sweet white glaze, no lemon juice)
Instructions
- Prepare the Fast Soaked Fruit: Place all the dried fruit together with the apple juice or brandy and juice mixture in a large microwavable container. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes until hot. Stir well to coat all the fruit in the liquid, cover, then set aside for 1 hour to soak and cool, allowing the fruit to plump.
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line an 8-9" (21–22 cm) round cake pan with baking paper, ensuring the sides are about 7 cm / 2.75" tall.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and packed dark brown sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute on medium speed.
- Add Oil and Molasses: Beat in the vegetable oil and molasses or golden syrup until fully combined with the butter-sugar mixture.
- Add Spices and Baking Powder: Mix in the salt, all spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder until the spices are evenly incorporated.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Combine Flour and Mix Ins: Stir in the plain flour gently until mostly incorporated, then fold in the soaked fruit mixture including all the liquid and the chopped walnuts if using, ensuring even distribution.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Cover the cake loosely with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean without any batter.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or decorating.
- Decorate (Optional): For traditional decoration, roll out the marzipan dusted with icing sugar and cover the cooled cake, smoothing out pleats gently. Repeat with the fondant layer on top of the marzipan. Decorate the sides with a diamond quilting pattern using a blunt edge and a skewer to indent intersections, affixing silver balls with a damp skewer. Finish the top with cherries dusted in icing sugar.
- Serving Suggestions: Either serve the cake plain or with pouring custard for a traditional festive dessert. Optionally, decorate with fresh fruit dusted with icing sugar or add a drippy white glaze for extra sweetness.
- Cutting the Cake: Slice into thin wedges or cut into 2 cm / 0.75" strips and then into individual serving portions, keeping in mind the cake is dense and rich.
Notes
- Use any combination of finely chopped dried fruit totaling 855g / 30 oz for the fruit mix; adjust sizes as desired but avoid large chunks for moisture balance.
- Substitute apple juice with other mild fruit juices like pineapple or orange juice for varied flavor; brandy can be used if preferred.
- Brown sugar contributes to darker color and deeper flavor, light brown sugar can be used as a milder alternative.
- Molasses or golden syrup adds richness and color; swap according to preference or availability.
- Enhance store-bought custard by stirring in vanilla bean paste for a luxurious flavor.
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 months or freeze for up to a year for longevity without alcohol.
- Due to density, this cake yields about 20 to 25 servings when sliced thinly, perfect for large gatherings.
- Marzipan layer is primarily to smooth the cake surface before applying fondant; minor imperfections can be smoothed out with a wet knife or fondant patches.
- For a simple decoration, dust with icing sugar and top with fresh fruit, wrapping the cake with a ribbon adds a festive touch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 80g)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
