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Heavenly Moist Traditional Fruit Cake Recipe

Close-up of a moist slice of fruit cake loaded with dried fruits and nuts on a white plate.
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Create a rich, festive, and wonderfully moist fruit cake perfect for the holidays. This traditional recipe uses simple techniques to ensure your cake stays soft and flavorful, making it a Christmas baking classic you can trust.

Ingredients

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

Instructions

  1. Prepare the fruit: In a bowl, combine the mixed dried fruit and nuts. Pour the brandy or orange juice over the fruit mixture and toss to coat. Cover and let it soak for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This step helps create a moist fruit cake.
  2. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan or a standard loaf pan with parchment paper.
  3. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set this dry mixture aside.
  4. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Gently fold in the soaked fruit and nut mixture using a spatula. Distribute the fruit evenly throughout the batter.
  8. Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top.
  9. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking time varies based on pan size and oven.
  10. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. For a richer flavor, you can brush the top of the warm cake with a little extra brandy or orange juice before it cools fully.

Notes

  • To prevent the cake from drying out, soak the fruit overnight. This is a key step for a never dry fruit cake.
  • If you prefer a darker cake, use dark brown sugar instead of white granulated sugar in the creaming step.
  • Wrap the cooled cake tightly in cheesecloth soaked in brandy, then wrap in foil. Store in an airtight container for up to a month before serving for the best flavor.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastethisplate.com/moist-traditional-fruit-cake-recipe/