Heavenly Moist Fruit Cake Recipe
This Heavenly Moist Fruit Cake is a classic and richly flavorful dessert perfect for any occasion. Featuring a blend of dried fruits, aromatic spices, and a moist texture enhanced by sweet orange syrup glaze, this cake improves with resting time, delivering a festive and satisfying treat that will delight family and guests alike.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Total Time: 3 days (including 48 hours resting time)
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- ¾ cups unsalted butter
- ¾ cups soft brown sugar
- 2 cups dried fruits (raisins, currants, cherries, peel)
- ½ cup dates, pitted and chopped
- ⅔ cups sweetened orange juice
- 1½ tbsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp all spice
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup walnuts, halved
Orange Syrup/Glaze
- 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1¾ tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Simmer the Fruit Mixture: Add butter, brown sugar, dried fruits, chopped dates, sweetened orange juice, orange zest, and molasses to a saucepan. Simmer over low heat until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy, then remove from heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Prepare the Oven and Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 140°C (285°F). Grease and line an 8×3 inch baking tin with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and all spice until evenly combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk the vegetable oil and eggs together until blended. Then combine this mixture with the cooled fruit mixture, stirring gently to incorporate.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients and Walnuts: Fold the walnuts and sifted dry mixture into the wet fruit batter. Mix gently and only until just combined to avoid overmixing and developing gluten.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tin and spread it out smoothly. Bake in the preheated oven for 75 to 85 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 30 minutes. Once cooled partially, carefully remove the cake from the tin to complete cooling on a wire rack.
- Prepare and Apply Orange Syrup Glaze: Warm the fresh orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Brush this syrup over the cake evenly to enhance moisture and flavor.
- Rest the Cake: Wrap the cake tightly in foil and store it in an airtight container. For best flavor and texture, allow the cake to rest for 48 hours before serving.
Notes
- Resting the fruit cake for 48 hours enhances the flavor and moisture, making it more delicious.
- Use a low baking temperature to ensure the cake cooks evenly without drying out.
- Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added to maintain a tender crumb.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or omit them for a nut-free cake.
- Ensure the fruit mixture is completely cooled before mixing with eggs to prevent curdling.
Keywords: fruit cake, moist fruit cake, holiday dessert, spiced cake, dried fruits cake, Christmas cake, orange glaze cake
Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/heavenly-moist-fruit-cake-recipe/
