Though I am sure that I have had Christmas fruit cake before I did not really remember it. Given that and the controversy around fruit cake when I saw some posts about Christmas cake I knew that I would have to try making one to find out. All of the recipes that I saw called for making the cake a few weeks ahead of time to let it mature. Many of the recipes called for “feeding” the cake brandy on a regular basis while it matured. I did not want my cake to end up being too heavy with brandy so I decided to just soak the fruits in some brandy and then I wrapped the cake in cheese cloth that was soaked in brandy while it matured. Some of the recipes that I came across called for adding a layer of marzipan and a layer of icing but I wanted to keep my fruit cake nice and simple so I skipped the frosting layers. After waiting for over a month I finally unwrapped the fruit cake to try today. I am not really sure why fruit cakes have such a bad wrap as this fruit cake was really good. It was nice and moist and full flavour! The cake had a hint of booze without being overwhelmed by it. I think that I will be making a Christmas fruit cake again next year.
Christmas Fruit Cake
ingredients
- 1 cup currants
- 1 cup mixed candied peel
- 3/4 cup candied pineapple (chopped)
- 3/4 cup red candied cherries (halved)
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch of salt
- 6 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cups walnuts (chopped)
directions
- Mix the currants, mixed peel, pineapple, cherries, raisins and the brandy in a bowl, cover and let sit for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl.
- Mix 1/4 cup of the dry mixture into the wet mixture.
- Mix the butter, sugar, jam and molasses in a bowl.
- Mix the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time.
- Mix the remaining flour mixture into the butter and egg mixture.
- Mix in the fruit mixture along with the nuts.
- Pour the mixture into baking pan lined with double parchment paper.
- Place a baking pan with water on the lower rack of the oven.
- Cover the cake pans with foil and bake on the middle racks of a preheated 300F/150C oven until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 45-60 minutes.
- Let cool.
- Soak some cheese cloth in some brandy and wrap it around the cake.
- Wrap the cake in foil and refrigerate for 30 days.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Nice work! I often find fruit cake too “boozy” for me, although my dearly beloved does love it. It is very heavy, and I’ve never seen it frosted, because it’s moist enough, and I guess you wouldn’t want it heavier. Yours is beautiful, Kevin!
Just catching up on my blog reading after several days away – hopefully my life will go back to normal soon!
Anyway, my parents had friends that exchanged the SAME fruit cake for over 30 years back and forth – I may have to try your recipe though!
So lovely!! I’ve always liked fruit cake, unlike a lot of people, haha 🙂
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!
1/2 cup of brandy?! I might very well get high on this cake 😉
The cake looks so colorful and moist. I had no idea that you let the cake mature, that seems so strange to me, but I guess it worked out great.
Beautiful!!!! I am one of those that actually enjoy a good fruit cake 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Kevin..That fruit cake says it all.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, KEVIN!
I just made my fruit cake today with lots of marzipan inside the cake.
Yours look so nice and moist. Delicious as always.
Elra
How do you put marzipan inside the cake? I thought it was for the top. Sounds great!
Thanks for the lovely recipe Kevin and I am going to try it soon.
This looks divine! What a beautiful cake to celebrate Christmas!
I love homemade fruit cake but not the store bought kind. I think the store bought kind are way too sweet. I just love your fruitcake. It look prefectly moist and just the right amount of fruits in it. Merry Christams to you Kevin.
Thanks for visiting my blog!
I’m impressed by your blog and foods you make! I’m bookmarking now.
Have a wonderful holiday, Kevin!
I love fruit cake, but I have never made my own. Yours looks fantastic kevin. Enjoy the holidays!
That looks so pretty! I never knew fruit cakes could keep so long. Btw.. Sears at Eaton centre does not have Chicago Metallic, but they do at Winners, although I hate searching through the madness there.
I have actually had a few friut cakes that I really enjoyed. I think a lot of it depends on the quality of the ingredients. I want to make one with dried fruits instead one day, then I think a glaze would be appropriate. Yours sounds very nice.
I think fruitcake is just kind of unusual and aggressive, and not really to everyone’s taste. But I do love fruitcake, and yours looks excellent!
Lovely looking cake Kevin – Happy Christmas to you!
Delightful! I love Fruitcake!
Merry Chtistmas and Happy Holidays!
Cheers,
Rosa
your fruit cake look great! I also bake a fruit cake for this Christmas but not as pretty as your!..Merry christmas to you!!
Wow…the cake looks fabulous!!! Wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.
I hope you don’t wait until next Christmas to make it again Kevin, it sounds yummy!
Have a Happy Christmas 🙂
I admit, I am kind of a fruitcake hater. They just don’t seem appetizing. Making it yourself? That sounds a little better. I think I really liked the fruits you used in this version. Maybe next year I will have to give it a go. Merry Christmas!
ooo..I posted Christmas fruit cake as well!
Merry Christmas!!!!
Looks absolutely beautiful.
Oh this looks so delicious!
Merry Christmas Kevin!
Your fruitcake looks and sounds very good. Haven’t ahd fruitcake in a long time.
how festive… happy holidays, kevin… 🙂
That Fruit Cake looks like something I would actually want to eat!
Yours looks great! Time to change fruit cake’s reputation.
Merry Christmas! Your cake looks delicious!
The fruitcake sounds terrific and your photo is stunning.
Happy Holidays Kevin!
Lori Lynn
Merry Christmas Kevin!
I love fruit cake, didn’t do one this year, I use grape juice for mine 🙂
Nice looking fruitcake!
Merry Christmas!
Happy holidays, Kevin!
Kevin – Merry Christmas to you! Thanks for all your wonderful comments on my blog.
And yes, this would be a fruitcake I would eat with a bit of cream cheese on it.
What size pan do I need? I want to try this.
I like to use a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Enjoy!
Most of the fruit cakes I’ve had over the years have been pretty dry or way to sweet for me. If this makes a moist version, I might eat it.
Merry Chirstmas Kevin! And a Happy New Year Too!!
Now that looks like a fruitcake anyone would love! Happy holidays!
Mmmm. Looks really good Kevin. Happy holidays!
Wonderful cake!
Merry Christmas!!!
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What a beautiful fruitcake ! I’ve tried a couple of other recipes but they didn’t slice well, whereas yours sliced very neatly. BTW Kevin – what size baking pan did you use for this recipe ?
thanks
Hello,
Thanks for your food blog. Your fruit cake looks lovely. Thanks again….I want to try making your other dishes like beef stragonoff…the photos are so great too….Sam
Love your fruit cake receipe and what a beautiful photo of it. Want to try your other receipes like the beef strogonoff. Thanks good job! Sam
Happy National Fruitcake Day Kevin. I also think fruitcake gets a “bad rap.”
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your blog. Thanks for sharing…Bookmarked!
Anonymous: I used a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and I had enough left over for an additional 4 inch diameter circular baking pan.
Kevin,
My English friend came over with fruit cake, it was super moist like your. The recipe called for 12 cups of flour. That’s a lot of fruit cake. I was thankful that she shared.
-Tien
Thanks for the link Kevin – I also had planned to ice it and thought it was really rich enough with adding icing.
Kevin,
That is very interesting recipe. I never liked fruit cakes… especially those sold here around Christmas… but yours sounds really good… If not this 30 day waiting time, I would try it just now. I admire your patience…
Happy New Year to You 🙂
Margot
I just don’t like candied fruit, so I make fruitcake with dried fruit only. But no objection to fruitcake in and of itself, and lurid red cherries aside, yours looks pretty darn good.
I just love the way your fruit cake looks. I am a fruit cake lover.. anytime.. inspite of the strange look I get when I say that.
merveilleux ! cake !!! je découvre ton blog et j'adore ! merci @ bientôt…pour une nouvelle cuisine
great.
I recently made panettone, the Italian Christmas fruit cake (http://www.ztastylife.com/2009/11/panettone-italian-christmas-fruit-cake.html).
This year I think I'll also attempt the english Xmas steamed pudding (I need to start now).
Thanks once again, Kevin. I was finally able to post the cake photo for my recipe here:
http://www.wanderingmist.com/good-food-kitchen/christmas-cake-heirloom-recipe/
Hope you like this version too.
Merry Christmas!!
Fantastic! I have been looking for a Christmas fruit cake recipe and this one's perfect!
Since I am a Muslim and I can not add brandy what should i do add black tea
Anonymous: Tea would work for keeping the cake moist and tender and infuse it with flavour. Keep in mind though that the alcohol also acts as a preservative and this allows Christmas cakes to last for long periods of time. Without the alcohol I am not sure how long the cake would last. Juices like apple juice would also work.
Kevin, my mother made fruit cakes for years and never put any alcohol in them and they would stay for months if she hid them!!!! She used a recipe from Wesson Oil called of all the Wesson Oil fruit cake from way back when. She usually made them in a tube cake pan and made 8-10 every year. I think you would like this one!!!!
This was a great recipe – glad to have found it (and your blog)! Happy New Year!
My mum made that cake every birthday while I was still young enough for Christmas parties and when my son was born she made one and brought it over. In Israel they have what is called 'English cake'!!! What a laugh. Half an ounce of raisins makes an English cake.
Next year I'll try your's since it is to late for this year. I have already started on my baking. Every year I use to try new recipes of fruit cakes to give for Christmas and than I got to busy to bake. I am now retired and have plenty of time to cook.
This was the best recipe I have ever made for fruit cake, so moist. I replaced the brandy with spiced rum and we all loved it. Forever in my favourites. thank you!
June
Hi there! I love the picture. I just baked your cake but… and i think I'm kind of an experienced baker, it took two hours to be ready. It has a lot of fruits, and I think because it was such a low temperature it wasn't ready in the time you especified. I think I might have done something really, really wrong. It smells delicious and it's very tasty. And something else happened: all the fruits went to the bottom of the pan.
So please, please, please tell if i have to increase the temperature. Or maybe just add a little more flour (It's very spongy).
Thanks!
Kevin, this is an old family recipe from rural SW Ontario, I thought you might be interested in trying. It is similar to yours, but I think darker and no rum. It is a large batch, so enough to share – but ONLY with fruit cake lovers 🙂
It was served at my Great Grandparents' 50th anniversary in the mid 1930's. My 88 yo Mom remembers it being made by her brother; 3 layers, iced and decorated (perhaps with marzipan?). It is dark, rich and moist and will keep, wrapped, for months in the refrigerator.
This makes 4 loaf pans (3.5 X 7.5 inch base), and Mom says 3 square (wedding cake style) layers (small, med and large)
Grease baking pans and line with either greased brown paper (cut and split to fit smoothly) or parchment paper (wet parchment paper to fit smoothly and no need to grease pan or paper)
Rich Dark Christmas Cake
Cream together (bowl #1- large)
1 1/2 c (3/4 lb) butter – do not substitute margarine
2 c white sugar
Add
5 well beaten eggs
1 c. corn syrup or maple syrup
1 c. milk
Mix together (bowl # 2)
1 c. a/p flour
1 1/2 lbs (4 1/2 c.) raisins (washed, drained and dried)
1 lb (3 1/2 c.) currants (washed, drained and dried)
2 lbs dates chopped
1 c. candied cherries, quartered
1/2 c mixed candied fruit or peel
1/2 c. ground OR 1 c. chopped almonds
Stir together (bowl #3)
3 c. a/p flour
1/2 tsp b. soda
1 tsp b. powder
1 T ground allspice
1 T ground nutmeg
1 T ground cinnamon
1 T ground cloves
Add fruit mixture and dry mixture alternately to wet mixture, folding in gently.
Divide evenly into baking pans
Put a pan of hot water on lower rack of oven for moisture
Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 1/2 – 3 hours, until skewer inserted in middle comes out clean.
Remove from pans and cool before removing paper. I never ice it, it is sweet enough without.
This can be enjoyed right away, but is moister if it is wrapped in parchment or waxed paper or foil and refrigerated for a few weeks before eating. I recommend eating small slices – it lasts longer 🙂
Very similar to the cake my Mom used to make, except she used Burgundy wine for the liquid. When it was cooling, she poured more wine over the cake, wrapped it in waxed paper and foil and stored it in the coolness of the jam room in our basement. She would make about a dozen a year.
Kevin, I love your recipes and can't wait for each one to come through. This Christmas cake is no exception as Christmas is not Christmas without a Christmas cake or Christmas pudding at least here in Australia. I have been making mine for many years now about 6 weeks prior and with the pudding I put threepences and sixpences in for the grandies. Hubby then exchanges the threepences for 20C and sixpences for 50C. Of course, the grandies scratch though first to see what they can find then eat their pudding. Christmas cake is always eaten after dinner with a cuppa for me, but a glass or two for hubby. Your Christmas cake sounds wonderful, so I'll try it next Christmas. Have a HAPPY and PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. Josephine B
“Pour the mixture into baking pans lined with double parchment paper.”
What size pans to use?
I use a 9×5 inch loaf pan but you could use other shapes of pans. Enjoy!
I might have missed it, but what kind of pans do you use for the fruit cake? A couple of loaf pans? I’d like to try it and don’t want to get it wrong. I love your recipes! Thanks for your help.
Just saw the answer! 😊
Try it with some sharp cheese and a glass of port – perfect Christmas treat.
I have never made fruit cake before, but I would love to try yours as my husband loves fruit cake. My question is do you squeeze out the brandy from the cheese cloth before you wrap it.
Baked this cake for my birthday and it was an absolute hit! So moist and tasty. Thank you for doing what you do
Like to try your fruitcake but need some answer.
a. Can I use cheap brandy or rum to soak the fruits as brandy is quite expensive. The other option is orange juice or can I mix with other juice. In addition do I need to soak or just drop the juice.
b. Do I need to batter the butter n brown sugar creamy till it changes clour or few minutes.
c. How do I get the smell or the aroma of the fruitcake. Can I mix vanilla n rose essence into the batter.
Pls do respond. Thanks
a. You can use cheap brandy or rum or any fruit juice.
b. Mix the butter, sugar, jam and molasses until well combined, a few minutes.
c. The aroma is going to come from all of the fruit but you can definitely add vanilla and/or rose essence to the recipe and aroma!
Enjoy!