Description
This easy, moist Christmas fruit cake is rich with a blend of soaked dried fruits, warm spices, and a luscious texture that embodies the festive spirit. Perfect for holiday celebrations, it can be enjoyed plain or beautifully decorated with traditional marzipan and fondant layers. Serve it with pouring custard for a classic treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Fast Soaked Fruit
- 300g raisins
- 150g diced dried apricots, chopped 8 mm / 1/3"
- 75g mixed peel, diced 5mm / 1/5"
- 150g glace cherries, chopped 8 mm / 1/3"
- 180g dates, diced 5mm / 1/5"
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp apple juice or 1/3 cup brandy + 2/3 cup apple juice
Cake
- 120g unsalted butter, softened (1 US stick)
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp molasses or golden syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 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 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 (see instructions)
Instructions
- Prepare the Fast Soaked Fruit: Place all dried fruit and the apple juice or brandy mixture in a large microwavable container. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot. Stir thoroughly to coat all fruit, then cover and set aside for 1 hour to soak and cool.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line a 21–22 cm (8–9 inch) round cake pan with parchment paper, about 7 cm (2.75 inch) tall.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric beater, beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute at medium speed.
- Add Oils and Flavorings: Add the vegetable oil and molasses or golden syrup to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat until fully combined.
- Mix Spices and Leavening: Add salt, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder to the mixture. Beat until fully incorporated.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined.
- Incorporate Flour: Stir in the plain flour until mostly combined.
- Add Fruit and Nuts: 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 cake pan. Cover with foil and bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 45 minutes more or until a skewer inserted comes out clean, checking at 30 minutes first to avoid overbaking.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack and cool completely before serving or decorating.
- Decorate (Optional): For traditional decoration, roll out marzipan dusted with icing sugar and cover the cooled cake, smoothing the surfaces. Next, cover with rolled fondant and decorate by quilting the sides and adding silver balls and cherries dusted with icing sugar as detailed.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the cake plain or traditional style with warm pouring custard. Alternatively, decorate simply with fresh fruit dusted with icing sugar or add a white glaze if desired.
Notes
- Use any combination of dried fruits totaling 855g finely chopped to suit your taste.
- Apple juice is preferred for a neutral flavor, but pineapple or orange juice can be used for varying flavors.
- Dark brown sugar imparts a rich color; regular brown sugar can be a lighter substitute.
- Molasses or golden syrup add depth and richness; interchange as desired.
- Pimp store-bought custard by mixing in vanilla bean paste for enhanced flavor.
- This cake stays moist and flavorful for up to one month refrigerated and can be frozen for up to one year.
- Cutting into thin strips and then bite-size pieces is recommended due to the richness and density of the cake.
- For marzipan and fondant decorating, use a cake turntable and icing sugar to prevent sticking and to achieve smooth finishes.
- Marzipan can crack but can be smoothed or patched with fondant for a polished appearance.
- Check the cake with a skewer starting at 30 minutes after removing foil to prevent overbaking.
- For a drippy white glaze, use a simple sweet glaze without lemon juice as described in the related lemon cake recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 60g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
