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Never Fail Moist Old Fashioned Fruit Cake

Two thick slices of moist fruit cake loaded with colorful candied fruit and topped with pecans, resting against the main loaf.
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Make a rich, traditional fruit cake that stays incredibly moist without any long soaking time. This easy, old fashioned fruit cake recipe is perfect for the holidays and delivers classic flavor with simple steps.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 pound mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, candied cherries, pineapple)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup orange juice or brandy (for boiling fruit)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan or an 8-inch square pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the mixed dried fruit and orange juice or brandy. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the fruit is plump. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and both sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and baking powder.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Fold in the plumped fruit mixture and the chopped nuts using a spatula.
  8. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
  9. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil halfway through baking.
  10. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Allow it to rest for at least 24 hours before slicing for the best flavor and moistness.

Notes

  • For an extra rich, dark fruit cake, substitute 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar with molasses.
  • If you prefer a traditional aged cake, brush the cooled cake with 2 tablespoons of brandy or dark rum every week for up to four weeks before serving.
  • This recipe uses a quick method to plump the fruit, eliminating the need for overnight soaking, making it an easy fruit cake option.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/moist-old-fashioned-easy-fruit-cake-recipe/