There’s something truly magical about a homemade fruit cake at Christmas, isn’t there? This Easy Moist Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe captures that festive spirit perfectly — it’s rich, packed with juicy fruits, and stays unbelievably moist, making every bite a comforting holiday hug.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
When I first tried this recipe, I was amazed by how effortlessly it bakes into the most tender, flavorful Christmas cake with that classic festive richness. It’s simple enough to make without fuss, yet feels special and indulgent — perfect for sharing with family and friends.
- Soaked Fruit Magic: Using fast-soaked dried fruits infuses the cake with juicy, tender bursts of flavor, keeping it moist and rich.
- Perfectly Balanced Spices: Cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg lend warm holiday notes without overpowering the fruity goodness.
- Moisture Boosters: The combination of butter, oil, molasses, and even apple juice or brandy creates a delectably soft crumb that keeps the cake fresh for days.
- Flexible & Festive: Whether you decorate traditionally with marzipan and fondant or keep it simple with fresh cherries and icing sugar, this cake adapts to your holiday vibe.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This cake’s ingredients come together like a finely tuned orchestra — each one playing a role in delivering that iconic fruit cake texture and flavor. Selecting good-quality dried fruit and balancing spices are key to success here.
- Raisins and Dates: These provide natural sweetness and a soft chew that complements the cake’s dense crumb.
- Dried Apricots and Glace Cherries: Chopped diced fruit adds bursts of color and varying flavor to keep each bite interesting.
- Mixed Peel: Brings subtle citrus aroma and sweetness, balancing richer fruit notes — just chop finely to avoid overpowering bites.
- Apple Juice or Brandy: Moistens and flavors the fruit, plumping it up; the alcohol adds depth but isn’t essential.
- Butter and Vegetable Oil: The butter lends creaminess and richness, while the oil keeps the cake tender and moist over time.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds a deep caramel flavor and that classic dark color to the cake.
- Molasses or Golden Syrup: Both enhance richness and moisture, so don’t skip this sweet hidden hero.
- Warm Spices (Cinnamon, Allspice, Nutmeg): Essential for that cozy Christmas vibe without overwhelming the fruit flavors.
- Plain Flour and Baking Powder: Provides structure with a light lift while keeping the cake dense and moist.
- Walnuts (Optional): For added crunch and flavor contrast — I love tossing in walnuts for texture, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
Make It Your Way
One of the best things about this Easy Moist Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe is how adaptable it is. Over the years, I’ve played around with different fruits, alcohol choices, and toppings to make it truly mine — and you can, too!
- Variation with Brandy: I usually skip the alcohol to keep it family-friendly, but when I do add brandy, it gives that classic boozy warmth that infuses the cake beautifully.
- Fruit Mix: Feel free to swap in your favorite dried fruits — cranberries, figs, or even some chopped dates work well. Just keep the total weight similar.
- Nut-Free: Skip the walnuts if you have nut allergies, or substitute with toasted seeds like pumpkin or sunflower for crunch.
- Gluten-Free: With some gluten-free flour blends and a bit of tweaking, this recipe can be adapted — just keep an eye on texture as fruit cakes are quite dense.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Easy Moist Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe
Step 1: Plump Up the Fruit
I start by soaking the dried fruit in apple juice or a mix of brandy and juice. Using the microwave for about 1½ minutes warms the fruit and helps it absorb the liquid quickly. Leaving it to cool and soak for an hour makes the fruit juicy and tender without the wait of an overnight soak — a total game changer!
Step 2: Cream Butter, Sugar, And Add Flavors
Next, I beat softened unsalted butter with dark brown sugar until the mixture is silky smooth. Adding vegetable oil and molasses keeps the cake moist and adds that deep, rich color and flavor I love. This is also when I mix in the warming spices — the aroma this releases is just heavenly.
Step 3: Bring in the Eggs and Flour
Carefully beating in the eggs one at a time ensures good structure without deflating the mix. Then I gently fold in the flour and baking powder until just combined — no overmixing here, a light hand keeps the crumb tender.
Step 4: Stir in Soaked Fruit and Nuts
This part is my favorite — folding the plumped fruit with all its soaking liquid plus chopped walnuts (if using) into the batter. You want every bit of that juicy goodness in your cake.
Step 5: Bake Low and Slow
I pour the batter into a lined 8 or 9-inch cake pan, cover it tightly with foil, and bake at a low temperature (around 320°F / 160°C) for about 2 ½ hours. This slow bake is key for even cooking without drying out. After removing the foil, another 30 to 45 minutes of baking finishes it nicely — the skewer test should come out clean, no wet batter clinging to it.
Step 6: Cool and Enjoy
Let the cake rest in the pan for about 20 minutes before moving it to a rack to cool completely. This gives it a chance to firm up and makes it easier to slice. I love how moist and aromatic it turns out — you almost don’t need anything else!
Top Tip
From my experience many times making this recipe, a few tips go a long way in ensuring your fruit cake comes out perfectly every time.
- Even Fruit Chopping: Take the time to chop your dried fruit to consistent, small sizes — this helps the cake stay moist and ensures every slice has a balance of flavors.
- Don’t Skip the Soak: Soaking not only plumps the fruit but infuses the whole cake with moisture and flavor, making it far superior to throwing dry fruit straight in.
- Low & Slow Baking: This method cooks the dense batter gently, avoiding dryness and helping develop that tender crumb.
- Foil Covering: Wrapping the cake loosely in foil during most of the bake traps steam for moisture retention. Just remove for the last part to let the top brown gently.
How to Serve Easy Moist Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe
Garnishes
I love keeping it simple with a dusting of icing sugar and fresh cherries — it’s elegant and lets the cake shine. For a showstopper, I roll it in marzipan and white fondant, then finish with silver balls and more cherries dusted in sugar for that classic Christmas look.
Side Dishes
Serving this cake with warm pouring custard is my all-time favorite — it’s like a creamy hug with every bite. You can also pair it with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a festive dessert platter.
Creative Ways to Present
For our family Christmas, I’ve flipped the cake upside down to create a flat surface and drizzled a simple white glaze over it. Wrapping a ribbon around the cake adds a festive touch without fuss. If you’re hosting, placing it on a cake stand with holly sprigs makes it feel extra special.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover fruit cake in an airtight container in the fridge — it keeps wonderfully for up to a month without losing moisture or flavor. Just let it come to room temperature before serving so the flavors open up again.
Freezing
Freezing this cake works beautifully. I wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag. They thaw quickly on the counter, and the texture stays surprisingly fresh — almost like it was just baked!
Reheating
If you want to warm a slice, I lightly heat it in a low oven (about 300°F / 150°C) for 10–15 minutes wrapped in foil to retain moisture. It revives the softness and aroma, especially when served with warm custard.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! The recipe works just as well with apple juice or another fruit juice instead of brandy. It still turns out moist and delicious, and it’s perfect for sharing with everyone including kids and those avoiding alcohol.
You can bake this cake up to a month ahead and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. The flavors often improve as it rests. You can also freeze slices for longer storage.
Nope! This recipe uses a fast soak method in the microwave and about an hour to plump up the fruit. It saves time but still gives juicy, tender fruit throughout the cake.
Traditional decoration involves marzipan and white fondant, which gives a smooth, festive finish. For an easier touch, dust with icing sugar and fresh cherries, or drizzle a simple white glaze for a modern look.
Final Thoughts
This Easy Moist Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe is one I return to year after year because it’s dependable, luscious, and truly embodies the heart of the holidays. I love how it brings everyone around the table and sparks that warm festive feeling. Trust me, once you bake this, you’ll keep coming back — and your friends and family will keep asking for more. So, grab your mixing bowl, soak that glorious fruit, and enjoy the simple pleasure of baking a cake that feels like Christmas in every bite.
Print
Easy Moist Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 20 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Description
This easy moist Christmas fruit cake is packed with a rich blend of soaked dried fruits, warming spices, and nuts, baked to perfection and traditionally served with custard. It features options for classic marzipan and fondant decoration to make your holiday celebrations extra special.
Ingredients
Fast Soaked Fruit
- 300g raisins
- 150g diced dried apricots, chopped 8 mm / ⅓"
- 75g mixed peel, diced 5 mm / ⅕"
- 150g glace cherries, chopped 8 mm / ⅓"
- 180g dates, diced 5 mm / ⅕"
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon apple juice, OR ⅓ cup brandy + ⅔ cup juice
Cake
- 120g unsalted butter, softened (1 US stick)
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or canola, peanut, grapeseed)
- 3 tablespoon molasses or golden syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ⅔ cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
- ¾ cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
For Serving (Optional)
- 500ml pouring custard, homemade or store bought
White Christmas Cake Decoration (Optional)
- 250g "ready to roll" marzipan
- 250g "ready to roll" white fondant
- Cherries dusted with icing sugar
Other Decorating Options (Optional)
- Cherries or other fruit dusted with icing sugar
- Drippy white glaze (plain sweet white glaze)
Instructions
- Prepare Soaked Fruit: Place all dried fruits and apple juice or brandy mixture into a large microwavable container. Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes until hot. Stir to coat all fruit in liquid. Cover and set aside for 1 hour to soak and cool, allowing the fruit to plump up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line a 21–22 cm (8–9 inch) round cake pan with baking paper, about 7 cm (2.75 inch) tall sides.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add Oil and Molasses: Beat in vegetable oil and molasses (or golden syrup) until fully combined.
- Incorporate Spices and Leavening: Beat in salt, all spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder until just incorporated.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each until just combined.
- Mix in Flour and Fruits: Stir in the plain flour until mostly combined. Then fold in the soaked fruit mixture, including any remaining liquid, and walnuts if using, ensuring even distribution.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Cover the top with foil and bake for 2 ½ hours. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Check for doneness starting at 30 minutes after foil removal.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from oven, let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or decorating.
- Cutting the Cake: For serving, slice into thin wedges or cut into thin strips about 2 cm wide then cut into smaller servings as desired.
- Decorate the Cake (Optional): For a traditional finish, cover the cooled cake with a rolled layer of marzipan, then a layer of white fondant. Use a decorating tool to create a quilted diamond pattern on the fondant sides, and add silver balls at intersections. Top with cherries dusted with icing sugar. Alternative decorations include fresh fruit dusted with icing sugar or a drippy white glaze.
- Serve: Serve plain or accompanied by pouring custard for an authentic Christmas experience.
Notes
- Dried fruit may be any combination totaling 855g finely chopped; the listed fruits provide balanced flavor and moisture.
- Fruit soaking can be done with juice only for non-alcoholic version or with brandy plus juice for traditional flavor.
- Dark brown sugar lends a deep color; substitute with regular brown sugar for a lighter hue.
- Molasses or golden syrup enhances richness and color, interchangeable year to year.
- Serving custard can be homemade (crème anglaise) or store bought; elevating store bought with vanilla bean paste adds flavor and appearance.
- The cake is quite dense and rich; small serving sizes yield 20 to 25 portions.
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or freeze for up to a year without alcohol.
- Marzipan helps create a smooth surface under the fondant; cracks in marzipan are not an issue as fondant covers imperfections.
- Wet the knife used to smooth fondant and marzipan to patch any tears or rough spots for a flawless finish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 80g)
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
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