Here’s a classic fruitcake recipe—moist, rich, and packed with dried fruits and nuts. You can customize it based on your taste preferences.
🎄 Traditional Fruitcake Recipe
🍽️ Yields: 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves
⏱️ Prep Time: 30 mins | Bake Time: 2–2.5 hours | Aging: Optional (2+ weeks)
📋 Ingredients
Dried Fruit (about 4 cups total):
-
1 cup raisins
-
1 cup chopped dates
-
1 cup chopped dried apricots or pineapple
-
1/2 cup currants
-
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries or mixed peel
Nuts:
-
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Soaking:
-
1/2 cup dark rum, brandy, orange juice, or apple cider (your choice)
Batter:
-
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
-
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
-
4 large eggs
-
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-
1/2 tsp baking soda
-
1/2 tsp salt
-
1 tsp ground cinnamon
-
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
-
1/4 tsp ground cloves
-
Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
-
1 tsp vanilla extract
🍶 Optional Glaze (for aging or serving):
-
Extra rum, brandy, or simple syrup for brushing
🔪 Instructions
1. Soak the Fruits
-
Mix all dried fruits in a bowl. Add rum, brandy, or juice. Cover and let soak overnight (or microwave 1-2 minutes to speed up).
2. Preheat Oven & Prep Pans
-
Preheat to 300°F (150°C).
-
Line a loaf or cake pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides.
3. Make the Batter
-
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
-
Beat in eggs one at a time.
-
Stir in zest and vanilla.
-
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
-
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet.
4. Add Fruits & Nuts
-
Fold in soaked fruit and nuts. (Toss fruit with a little flour to prevent sinking.)
5. Bake
-
Spoon batter into pan. Smooth top.
-
Bake 2 to 2.5 hours until a skewer comes out clean.
-
Let cool completely.
6. Aging (Optional but Flavorful)
-
Wrap cake in cheesecloth soaked with rum/brandy.
-
Store in airtight container. Re-soak cloth weekly for 2–6 weeks.
