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The Best Ever Classic Moist Fruit Cake Recipe (Never Fail Holiday Style)

Close-up of a moist slice of fruit cake recipe, studded with bright red, green, and yellow candied fruits.
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Unfold the story of tradition with this classic, moist fruit cake recipe. This foolproof version is packed with dried fruit and nuts, delivering the rich, dense texture you expect from an old-fashioned holiday dessert. It is simple to make and perfect for making ahead.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 pound mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, candied cherries, citron)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/4 cup brandy or dark rum (optional, for soaking fruit or feeding cake later)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the fruit: If using alcohol, place the mixed dried fruit in a bowl, pour the brandy or rum over it, stir, cover, and let it soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. If not using alcohol, simply soak the fruit in warm water or orange juice for 30 minutes, then drain well.
  2. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan or a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang on two sides for easy removal.
  3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step helps ensure a moist fruit cake.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the orange juice, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Gently fold in the soaked and drained dried fruit and the chopped nuts until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  8. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
  9. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking time varies based on the pan size and oven.
  10. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before using the parchment overhang to lift it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. If you reserved any brandy or rum, pierce the top of the cooled cake several times with a skewer and slowly brush or drizzle the liquid over the top. Wrap tightly in cheesecloth soaked in brandy, then foil, and store in an airtight container for at least two weeks before serving for the best flavor.

Notes

  • For a truly traditional, dark fruit cake, you can soak the dried fruit overnight in strong black tea instead of alcohol.
  • To keep this fruitcake moist for weeks, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Feed it with 1-2 tablespoons of brandy every week until you are ready to serve.
  • If you want a quicker, simpler version, try a 3 ingredient fruit cake using self-rising flour, condensed milk, and mixed fruit, though the texture will be less dense.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.unfoldrecipes.com/fruit-cake-recipe-moist-never-fail/