ADVERTISEMENT
Recipes

Easy Moist Christmas Cake ( Fruit Cake)

vigor·
Easy Moist Christmas Cake ( Fruit Cake)
ADVERTISEMENT
↓ Jump to Recipe

The holidays don’t feel complete without the warm, spiced smell of a homemade Christmas cake filling the kitchen. Many people think fruit cake means complicated steps and weeks of preparation — but it doesn’t have to.

This easy moist Christmas cake is made without any alcohol. Instead, the dried fruit soaks in strong tea and orange juice, which makes it plump, juicy and full of flavour. The result is a dark, rich cake with a caramelised crust, a dense, moist crumb and fruit in every bite.

It’s beginner-friendly, family-friendly, and — like all good fruit cakes — it tastes even better a few days after baking, once the spices and fruit have had time to settle in.

Recipe at a Glance

Prep time25 minutes (plus optional overnight soaking)
Cook time2 hours 30 minutes
Total time3 hours
Serves16 slices
CaloriesAbout 420 per slice
Tin size8-inch (20 cm) round, deep
Oven150°C / 300°F (130°C fan)

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Cake

  • 100% alcohol-free: safe for kids, families and anyone who avoids alcohol.
  • Really moist: soaked fruit and a low, slow bake keep it soft for days.
  • Easy method: one bowl for the batter, one for the fruit — no special skills needed.
  • Make-ahead friendly: bake it a week or two before Christmas, or freeze it.
  • Easy to customise: swap the fruit, nuts and spices to suit your family.

Ingredients

  • 750 g (about 4½ cups) mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped glacé cherries, mixed peel, chopped dried apricots or dates)
  • 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) strong brewed black tea, cooled, or orange juice
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
  • 200 g (1 cup packed) dark brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 300 g (2¼ cups + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
  • 1 pinch ground cloves
  • 50 g (⅓ cup) blanched almonds, roughly chopped (optional)
  • 50 g (½ cup) walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

⚠️ Don’t miss the rest! The full article continues on the next page 👇📖
Tap “Next Page” to see all the details, tips…

ADVERTISEMENT

You may also like

Easy Moist Christmas Cake ( Fruit Cake)

Recipe

Easy Moist Christmas Cake ( Fruit Cake)

5 from 1 vote
Prep25 mins
Cook2 hrs 30 mins
Total3 hrs
Servings16
Calories420 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Soak the fruit (recommended). Put the dried fruit, tea or orange juice, and the orange and lemon zest in a bowl. Stir, cover and leave overnight (or at least 1 hour) so the fruit soaks up the liquid and turns plump.
  2. Prepare the oven and tin. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F / 130°C fan). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) deep round cake tin and line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment, letting it stand about 5 cm (2 inches) above the rim. This protects the cake during the long bake.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar with an electric mixer for 3–5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the eggs. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. If the mixture starts to look curdled, add a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg.
  5. Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves.
  6. Coat the fruit. Add the nuts (if using) to the soaked fruit along with any liquid left in the bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture — this stops the fruit sinking to the bottom.
  7. Make the batter. Add the rest of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Don't overmix.
  8. Fold in the fruit. Gently fold the floured fruit into the batter until it's evenly spread through. The batter will be very thick — that's normal. If it feels very stiff, add 1–2 tablespoons of extra tea or orange juice.
  9. Fill the tin. Spoon the batter into the tin, level the top and make a slight dip in the centre so the cake bakes flat.
  10. Bake. Bake for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours. If the top browns too fast, cover it loosely with foil.
  11. Check if it's done. Insert a skewer into the centre — it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should be deep golden brown and firm.
  12. Cool in the tin. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin on a wire rack. Slow cooling keeps the moisture in.
  13. Wrap and store. Once fully cool, remove the cake from the tin. Wrap it in a double layer of parchment, then in foil, and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

foodvigor.com