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Fruit Cake Recipe

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This classic Fruit Cake is packed with plump, juicy dried fruits, warm spices, and a rich, buttery crumb that comes together beautifully — it's the kind of old-fashioned, from-scratch bake that makes your whole house smell absolutely incredible!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Dessert
Calories: 312
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots, dried cherries) roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice for soaking the fruit
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest from about 1 large orange
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional

Method
 

  1. Add the mixed dried fruits to a medium bowl and pour the orange juice over them. Stir to combine, then cover and let soak for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for best results.
  2. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan well and line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together with a hand mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract, orange zest, and molasses until fully combined.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice until well combined.
  6. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a spatula until just combined — do not overmix.
  7. Fold in the soaked dried fruits along with any remaining orange juice from the bowl, and the chopped nuts if using. The batter will be thick.
  8. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Optionally, press a few extra dried fruits or nuts decoratively on top.
  9. Bake at 325°F for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 15 minutes.
  10. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 148mgPotassium: 295mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 420IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Storage: Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Healthy swap: For a more nutritious version, you can substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. The texture will be slightly denser but still wonderfully moist and delicious.
Sodium tip: This recipe uses unsalted butter so you can control the sodium level. If you only have salted butter on hand, reduce the added salt to just a pinch. Always taste and adjust your seasonings to your preference!

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