There’s something magical about a classic fruit cake that just says celebration. This Festive Moist Fruit Cake Recipe is bursting with plump, juicy fruits and warm spices, giving you that perfect rich, moist slice every time. Trust me, once you try this, you’ll want to bake it every holiday season!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I’ve baked more fruit cakes than I can count, but this Festive Moist Fruit Cake Recipe stands out for being both unbelievably moist and packed with flavor. It’s easy enough to throw together but feels so special, making it the perfect centerpiece for any gathering.
- Ultimate Moisture: Fast-soaked fruits absorb juice or brandy, giving the cake an incredibly tender, juicy crumb.
- Rich Spice Blend: A warm mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice adds festive depth without overpowering your palate.
- Flexible Flavor Options: You can easily adjust the fruit mix or swap juice for brandy depending on who you’re serving.
- Show-Stopping Presentation: From a simple dusting of icing sugar to elegant marzipan and fondant, the decorating options let you customize the final look.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient in this recipe plays a role in making your fruit cake moist, flavorful, and festive. The mix of dried fruits soaks up juice or brandy to infuse moisture and depth, while butter, spices, and molasses enhance that classic Christmas flavor.

- Raisins: These provide natural sweetness and extra chewiness after soaking—choose plump ones for best results.
- Diced Apricots: Add a lovely tangy-sweet note and bright color to the cake.
- Mixed Peel: Brings subtle citrus warmth without being too sharp—make sure to chop finely to avoid large bitter bites.
- Glace Cherries: Give bursts of juicy sweetness and festive red splashes throughout.
- Dates: Their natural caramel hints enrich the cake’s flavor and texture.
- Apple Juice or Brandy: Essential for soaking the fruit—apple juice keeps things kid-friendly, brandy adds that traditional adult kick.
- Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and helps create a tender crumb—make sure it’s softened for easy beating.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Imparts a deep molasses flavor and beautiful dark color.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake moist and light, complementing the butter's richness without weighing it down.
- Molasses or Golden Syrup: Adds complexity and a sticky sweetness that keeps this cake moist for days.
- Warm Spices (allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg): These classic holiday flavors awaken your senses and balance sweetness.
- Eggs: Bind everything together, giving structure and moisture.
- Baking Powder: Just enough lift to keep the cake from being too dense.
- Plain (All Purpose) Flour: The base for your batter, grabbing moisture and holding your cake together.
- Walnuts (Optional): Add crunch and texture contrast—toast lightly for a nutty kick.
Make It Your Way
This cake is a dream canvas for personalization. I love swapping out the dried fruit based on what’s fresh in my pantry or adding a splash of my favorite whiskey instead of brandy. Don’t hesitate to make it your own!
- Variation: One year, I tried dried cranberries and figs instead of cherries and apricots. The tangy cranberry burst was unexpected but delicious—definitely makes the recipe your own.
- Dairy-Free Option: Replace butter with dairy-free margarine and use coconut oil for a subtle flavor twist.
- Nut-Free Version: Simply skip the walnuts or swap with sunflower seeds for texture without allergies worries.
- Alcohol-Free: Use extra apple or pineapple juice to soak fruits so everyone can enjoy without missing out on flavor.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Moist Fruit Cake Recipe

Step 1: Soak the Fruit for Ultimate Juiciness
Start by placing all your dried fruit and apple juice (or brandy if you prefer) into a large microwave-safe bowl. Zap it for about 1 ½ minutes until hot, then stir well to coat every fruit piece. Cover and let it sit for an hour to soak up all that moisture and flavor. This step ensures every bite of your cake bursts with juicy fruit goodness — don’t skip it!
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar to Start Your Batter
While your fruit soaks, preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) and prepare your cake pan with grease and parchment paper. Then, using an electric mixer, beat softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and creamy—about one minute. This not only aerates your batter but helps achieve that tender crumb you want.
Step 3: Add Liquids and Spices
Beat in your vegetable oil and molasses, followed by the salt, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder. These spices are the secret to warming the flavor without making the cake taste like a candy cane—balance is key here!
Step 4: Incorporate Eggs and Flour Gently
One at a time, add the eggs into your batter, beating just until combined after each. Overmixing here can toughen the cake, so keep it gentle. Then fold in the flour carefully using a spatula until mostly combined.
Step 5: Fold in Soaked Fruit and Nuts
Pour in your soaked fruit mixture, liquid and all, plus the chopped walnuts if you're using them. Stir everything until evenly distributed—those juicy fruits are what make this cake shine.
Step 6: Bake Low and Slow for Perfect Texture
Pour your batter into the prepared pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 2 ½ hours to gently cook through without drying. Then remove the foil and bake another 30-45 minutes until a clean skewer comes out when poked in the center. This long, slow bake is what creates that signature moist crumb.
Step 7: Cool Before Decadent Serving or Decorating
Let your cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Once completely cooled, you can dive in or get creative with decoration. I highly recommend trying the traditional marzipan and fondant for a stunning festive wow-factor!
Top Tip
From experience, three things make all the difference to nailing this Festive Moist Fruit Cake Recipe every time—don’t rush the soaking, keep the bake low and slow, and let the cake chill fully before cutting.
- Soaking Time: Allow that full hour for fruit soaking—it’s not just about moisture but flavor infusion that lifts the whole cake.
- Cover the Cake When Baking: The foil cover traps steam early on, helping the cake stay tender rather than drying out in the oven.
- Cooling Fully: Cutting too soon leads to crumbly slices; letting the cake cool completely firms up the texture so your slices hold beautifully.
- Marzipan & Fondant Handling: Use plenty of icing sugar when rolling out to prevent sticking and gently smooth any cracks using a wet knife for a flawless finish.
How to Serve Festive Moist Fruit Cake Recipe

Garnishes
I love keeping it simple with a dusting of icing sugar and some fresh cherries on top—it feels festive and fresh. For a grander look, try the classic marzipan and white fondant layers with some silver dragees for that holiday sparkle.
Side Dishes
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this fruit cake is warmed slightly with a generous pour of vanilla-spiked custard. Creamy custard balances the rich, dense cake beautifully, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream works wonderfully too.
Creative Ways to Present
For holiday parties, I sometimes cut the cake into small rectangular bites and serve on a festive platter garnished with candied orange slices, nuts, and fresh rosemary sprigs—everyone loves the elegant touch and easy serving style!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftovers tightly wrapped in an airtight container in the fridge, and it stays moist and delicious for up to a month. This cake’s dense texture helps it maintain flavor even days after baking.
Freezing
I’ve frozen this cake wrapped well in plastic wrap, then foil, for up to a year without losing moisture or flavor. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving, and it tastes fresh and festive all over again.
Reheating
If you like warm slices, pop individual pieces in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. This brings out the gooey fruits and makes each bite melt perfectly in your mouth—perfect with a drizzle of custard!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! The recipe is flexible, so swap any dried fruits you enjoy, aiming for about 855g total. Just chop larger pieces finely to keep the cake moist and evenly textured.
Nope, you can use apple juice or any fruit juice you like. The brandy adds traditional warmth and depth, but the apple juice keeps things kid-friendly without sacrificing moisture or flavor.
When stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it stays fresh and moist for up to a month. Freezing can extend its shelf life up to a year with proper wrapping.
Yes, definitely! A simple dusting of icing sugar and fresh cherries looks beautiful and adds festive charm. You can also drizzle a white glaze for an elegant but easier finish.
Final Thoughts
This Festive Moist Fruit Cake Recipe has truly become my go-to for holiday celebrations because it combines tradition with ease and flexibility. Whether you keep it simple or dress it up with marzipan and fondant, you’ll be sharing something truly special. So go ahead, bake this beauty and watch it bring warmth and joy to your table!
Print
Festive Moist Fruit Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 25 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Christmas Cake recipe is an easy and moist fruit cake packed with a variety of dried fruits soaked to perfection and enriched with warm spices. The cake is luscious and dense, perfect for festive occasions, and can be served plain or decorated traditionally with marzipan and fondant. It pairs beautifully with pouring custard for a classic holiday treat.
Ingredients
Fast Soaked Fruit
- 300g raisins
- 150g diced dried apricots, chopped 8 mm / ⅓"
- 75g mixed peel, diced 5mm / ⅕"
- 150g glace cherries, chopped 8 mm / ⅓"
- 180g dates, diced 5mm / ⅕"
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon apple juice, OR ⅓ cup brandy + ⅔ cup juice
Cake
- 120g unsalted butter, softened (1 US stick)
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or canola, peanut, grapeseed)
- 3 tablespoon molasses or golden syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ⅔ cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
- ¾ 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 (made as per lemon cake recipe without lemon juice)
Instructions
- Prepare Fruit Mix: Place all dried fruit and juice or brandy in a large microwavable container. Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes until hot, then stir to coat all fruit in liquid. Cover and set aside for 1 hour to soak and cool.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line a 21-22 cm (8-9") round cake pan with baking paper, ensuring it is 7 cm (2.75") tall.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, approximately 1 minute.
- Add Oil and Molasses: Add vegetable oil and molasses, then beat until combined thoroughly.
- Add Spices and Baking Powder: Mix in salt, all spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder until incorporated.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until just combined to maintain batter integrity.
- Incorporate Flour: Stir in the plain flour gently until mostly combined.
- Add Fruit and Walnuts: Fold in the soaked fruit mixture including all extra liquid, and add chopped walnuts if using, ensuring even distribution.
- Bake Cake: Pour batter into prepared cake pan and cover with foil. Bake for 2 ½ hours, then remove foil and continue baking for 30 to 45 minutes more until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cake: Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.
- Serve or Decorate: The cake can be eaten plain or decorated with marzipan and fondant following traditional Christmas decoration techniques. For serving, it pairs excellently with pouring custard.
- Decorating (Optional): Roll out marzipan and cover the cooled cake, smoothing pleats carefully with a wet knife. Repeat the process with white fondant. Create a quilted pattern on the sides with a blunt edge and place silver balls at intersections. Dust cherries with icing sugar and top the cake as desired for a festive finish.
Notes
- Dried Fruit: Use any combination totaling 855g finely chopped fruits. Chopping your own fruits enhances moisture, but pre-chopped dried fruit works well too for an ultra moist cake.
- Juice/Brandy: For alcohol use ⅓ cup brandy plus ⅔ cup juice; otherwise use all apple juice or other neutral-flavored juices like pineapple. Orange juice adds more citrus flavor.
- Sugar: Dark brown sugar creates rich color and flavor; substituting with regular brown sugar lightens the cake’s appearance.
- Molasses/Golden Syrup: Both enhance flavor richness and color; interchange based on preference.
- Custard: Homemade pouring custard is creamier, but store-bought custard can be improved by stirring in vanilla bean paste for enhanced flavor and visual appeal.
- Storage: Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 months or freeze for up to a year. Cake remains moist and flavorful.
- Serving Size: Rich and dense, this recipe serves 20-25 people, especially when cut into thin rectangular slices about 2 cm wide.
- Decoration Tips: Marzipan smooths the cake surface for fondant application. Fondant is more delicate but creates an elegant finish. Use a wet knife to smooth any tears or rough patches.
- Glaze Option: For a simple glaze, prepare a sweet white glaze without lemon juice and apply to the underside-flipped cake for a flat surface.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 80g)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg







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