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Close-up of sliced fruit cake with visible nuts and dried fruits on parchment paper, with an orange slice in the foreground.

Fruit Cake

This Fruit Cake isn’t your usual dense brick from the store; it’s a classic that actually tastes fresh and feels just a little special. With real dried fruits, warm spices, and a bright citrus kick, it’s something you’ll want to share, and people will actually love to eat. It stores well and fits easily into any holiday moment, whether you're gifting or serving it as a dessert. Even if fruit cake’s never been your thing, this version might surprise you.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Worldwide
Keyword: Fruit Cake
Servings: 12
Calories: 477kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup sultanas
  • 1 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup chopped dates
  • ⅔ cup orange juice
  • 1½ tablespoons orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup unflavored vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup walnuts chopped

Orange Glaze:

  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1¾ tablespoons granulated sugar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, sultanas, apricots, cranberries, dates, molasses, orange juice, and orange zest. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once it starts bubbling, let it simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a shallow dish to cool completely.
    ¾ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 cup sultanas, 1 cup chopped dried apricots, 1 cup dried cranberries, ½ cup chopped dates, ⅔ cup orange juice, 1½ tablespoons orange zest, 2 tablespoons molasses
  • Preheat the oven to 280°F (140°C). Grease and line the bottom and sides of an 8×3-inch round cake tin with parchment paper.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with vegetable oil until smooth.
    1¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ cup unflavored vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled fruit mixture with the egg and oil mixture. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Add the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined.
    1 cup walnuts
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. Smooth the top and tap lightly to release air bubbles. Bake for 75–85 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • While the cake bakes, mix the orange juice and sugar together. When the cake is out of the oven and still warm, brush the glaze over the top.
    3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, 1¾ tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Let the cake cool in the tin for 30 minutes. Run a knife along the edges and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

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Notes

  • Use fresh zest: Grate only the bright outer layer of the orange peel, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath for the best citrus flavor. You can get fine, even zest with this stainless steel zester, which also doesn’t clog.
  • Mix up the dried fruit: Feel free to swap some of the sultanas or cranberries with raisins, currants, or candied cherries or pineapple chunks to change up the flavor and texture.
  • Cool the fruit mixture: Letting it cool down completely prevents the eggs from cooking too early when you mix everything together.
  • Use room temperature eggs: This helps everything blend more evenly and gives the cake a more consistent texture.
  • Substitute other nuts: Pecans and almonds work just as well as walnuts—use whichever nuts you like best or have on hand.
  • Line your pan properly: Parchment paper on all sides helps keep the cake from sticking and protects it from overbaking at the edges.
  • Don't overmix the batter: Once the dry ingredients go in, stir just until combined to keep the cake tender.
  • Glaze it while it’s still warm: The warmth helps lock in moisture and let the orange glaze soak in and stick to the top, adding just the right amount of extra sweetness.

Nutrition

Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 847IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg
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