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Sliced moist fruitcake loaf with raisins on a white platter, styled with Irish whiskey bottles, red and gold Christmas ornaments, and festive red-and-white twine.
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Fruit Cake Recipe
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Soak Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs 35 mins
 

My Best Moist Fruitcake Recipe is a tender, fruity loaf with whiskey-soaked fruit and warm spices, ready to enjoy without months of aging.

Servings: 1 loaf
Author: Gemma Stafford
Ingredients
Soaked Fruit
  • 2 cups (10 oz/284 g) raisins
  • ¾ cup (3 ¾ oz/106 g) glacé cherries, drained and diced
  • 3 tablespoons candied mixed peel
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) O'Driscolls Irish whiskey (or orange juice)
Fruit Cake Loaf
Instructions
To Make the Soaked Fruit
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the raisins, glacé cherries, candied mixed peel, lemon zest, and orange zest.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat (or in the microwave), bring the Irish whiskey (or orange juice) to a simmer.
  3. Pour over the fruit, stir to combine, then cover the bowl with cling wrap and let soak for 1 hour.
To Make the Fruit Cake Loaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Butter a 9 x 5 inch (23 x 12 ½ cm) loaf pan, line it with parchment paper, and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and mixed spice. Set aside.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld electric mixer), cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

  4. Reduce the speed to medium-low and beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the milk.

  5. Add in the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until combined, then fold in the soaked fruit.

  6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan.
To Bake the Fruit Cake Loaf
  1. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  2. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Serve and Store the Fruit Cake Loaf
  1. Serve with hot coffee or tea. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
  • Pick different fruit if you want. Use sultanas (golden raisins) instead of regular raisins. You can also substitute half of the raisins with chopped dried apricots, cherries, mango, chopped cranberries, or prunes.
  • Easy DIY. Dried fruit can be expensive, but you can make homemade candied peel and glacé cherries for this cake.
  • Choose your soak. Soaking the dried fruit plumps it up and makes the best fruit cake recipe. It adds flavor and keeps it nice and soft in the cake. There are 3 easy options for this recipe: Quick Microwave Soak, Hour Stovetop Soak, or Extra-Flavor Overnight Soak.
    • Microwave method: Combine the dried fruit and alcohol in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir, then microwave for another 1 minute. Let the fruit sit, covered, for 15–30 minutes, allowing it to absorb the alcohol and become plump.
      • Let the fruit cool completely before adding it to your fruit cake batter.
    • Stovetop method: Combine the dried fruit and alcohol in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is plump and has absorbed most of the liquid. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 20–30 minutes.
      • Let the fruit cool completely before adding it to your fruit cake batter.
    • Overnight: Pour the whiskey or orange juice over the fruit, cover, and let soak at room temperature overnight. Mix into the batter the next day.
    • Mix into the batter the next day.
  • Keep the fruit evenly distributed: Toss the dried fruit with a small amount of flour before adding it to the batter. This helps the fruit stay suspended throughout the loaf rather than sinking to the bottom, giving you a more even distribution in every slice.
  • Cool first. Whatever method you use, cool the fruit completely before adding it to your fruit cake batter. If the fruit has absorbed all the alcohol, simply add it to the batter as is.
  • Use my recipe: If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own with this recipe.
  • Don't overmix. For the most tender cake, don’t overmix the batter once you add in the flour.
  • Tent if necessary. Tent the loaf with foil around the one-hour mark if the top is browning faster than the inside is cooking through.