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Moist Fruit Cake

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This classic moist fruit cake features plump, orange juice-soaked dried fruits and toasted nuts, warmly spiced and enriched with brown sugar and butter. The result is a tender, celebratory cake with a dense crumb—perfect for holiday gifting or enjoying with a cup of tea. Over time, the cake's flavors meld even further, making it ideal for baking ahead.
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Cook Time 1 hour
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fruit and Nut Mixture
  • 2 cups mixed dried fruits such as raisins, currants, chopped apricots, etc.
  • 1 cup mixed nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc.
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
Batter
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 orange zest only
  • 1 lemon zest only
Decoration (Optional)
  • 1/2 cup glacé cherries for decoration

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Electric mixer or hand mixer
  • Whisk
  • 9-inch round cake pan
  • Wire rack
  • Spatula

Method
 

  1. Combine the mixed dried fruits and orange juice in a large bowl. Let the fruit soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
  2. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
  3. In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
  4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the orange zest and lemon zest.
  5. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
  7. Gently fold the soaked fruits (with any remaining orange juice) and mixed nuts into the batter until evenly distributed.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface. If desired, arrange glacé cherries on top for decoration.
  9. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  10. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

You can customize the dried fruit or nut selection based on what you have on hand—just keep the total volumes the same. For best results, soak the fruits overnight. The cake keeps well tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to a week and gets even more flavorful after a couple of days. For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze, bringing to room temperature before serving. Serve plain, with whipped cream, or toasted with butter.

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