Spiced Fruit Nut Cake
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Dense, dark fruit cake packed with golden raisins, sultanas, red and green glace cherries, and candied citrus peels. Nuts chopped roughly for bite, pecans swapped in for a little texture variance. Brown sugar swapped from white sugar to deepen caramel notes. Warm spices toasted slightly before simmering with fat and water to bloom flavors. Long rest crucial for fruit to plump then the whole cake wrapped moist in cheesecloth soaked with bourbon. Slow bake under foil to avoid cracking or burning the crust. A classic that benefits from patient hands and nose tuning into the bubbling, sweet, spiced aroma filling the kitchen.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
2 loaves
#fruit cake
#holiday baking
#slow simmer
#bourbon soaked
#spiced cake
#nuts
#cake resting
Hit that fruitcake with patience. Not the quick toss-together but slow simmer, low and slow bake, resting wrapped tight. That bubbling fruit mix scents the kitchen, thick syrup ready to cling to every crumb. I learned the hard way, no rushing—the cake cries dry and crumbly when impatience strikes. Soaked nuts cracked just right, cherry bits brightening each forkful. Cheesecloth soaked in bourbon gives that gentle boozy hug—a kick without burn. Tried brandy too; mellow but less punchy. Each day of rest builds layers inside. No plastic wrap; too tight, dries edges. Foil seals the deal. Cake knife, thick slice, and a sturdy cuppa. Uncomplicated but demands respect. Worth every second you toss at it.
Ingredients
- 590 ml golden raisins
- 590 ml sultanas
- 240 ml red glace cherries
- 240 ml green glace cherries
- 300 ml candied citrus peel, chopped
- 300 ml walnuts, coarse chopped
- 240 ml pecan halves, chopped
- 480 ml packed brown sugar
- 40 ml vegetable shortening
- 12 ml allspice, toasted lightly
- 12 ml cinnamon, freshly ground
- 1 ml nutmeg, freshly grated
- 480 ml water
- 720 ml cake flour
- 4 ml baking soda
- 4 ml fine sea salt
- Cheesecloth
- Bourbon or dark rum (optional)
About the ingredients
Measure dried fruits packed but lightly fluffed; dense packing overswalls your batter. Nuts chopped coarse—not too fine or you lose crunch. Brown sugar chosen over white for the molasses notes. Shortening stabilizes, but butter works if adjusted—the melting fats influence crumb. Toast whole allspice and cinnamon for a minute on dry pan before measuring; wakes oils. Use filtered water to avoid off flavors soaking into fruit. Cake flour gels lighter crumb; all-purpose acceptable but cake denser. Baking soda a pinch less than usual—balances acidity from brown sugar. Salt enhances but don’t overpower; tastes carry through all layers. Cheesecloth double folded holds moisture, easier to remove post-rest. Bourbon optional but recommended for depth; swap with rum, amaretto, or strong brewed tea if needed.
Method
- Combine all fruits, nuts, sugar, shortening, spices, and water in heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to boil over medium heat, scrapping bottom to prevent sticking. Once bubbling well, reduce heat and simmer gently for 8 minutes until fruits swollen and water reduced slightly. Remove from stove, cool room temp before chilling covered overnight; this softens fruit and melds spices.
- Preheat oven to 175C, rack in middle. Butter and flour two 22 x 12 cm loaf pans or use parchment liners to avoid sticking and tearing. Be generous but don’t overdo flour - too much dries edges.
- Sift flour, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. To dried fruit mix (now cooled and thick), fold in dry ingredients with wooden spoon, then knead by hand for 4-5 minutes until homogeneous but not overmixed. Texture should be sticky but firm enough to hold shape in pan.
- Divide equally, fill pans loosely - don’t pack batter; air pockets needed to keep cake moist inside. Cover tops with foil halfway through baking to prevent crust darkening prematurely, also traps moisture.
- Bake about 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours, test center with skewer for moist crumbs attached (not raw batter). When done, cool in pans 20 minutes, then invert onto racks.
- Cut cheesecloth into squares large enough to wrap each cake. Soak in bourbon or dark rum till pliable; if skipping alcohol, use strong brewed tea or juice to add moisture. Wrap cakes snugly, then cover with foil to seal. Let rest minimum 3 days in cool spot. Flavors deepen, cake moistens through wrappings.
- Serve thick slices for tea or festive occasions. Store wrapped in cool place; will keep weeks.
- Substitutions: Use dried cranberries instead of sultanas for tart note; swap shortening for mashed butter but reduce liquid by 15 ml. Ground cloves add warmth if allspice unavailable.
Cooking tips
Simmer fruit mixture carefully; watch for rapid boil risking burnt edges. Stir with wooden spoon to lift stuck bits; no metal to avoid dulling pot surface. Chill overnight to let fruit absorb liquids, soften fully—don’t skip, no shortcuts here. Dry ingredients mixed thoroughly sift to avoid lumps. Mixing hands better than spatula here—feel dough form, uniform texture indicates readiness. Fill pans gently; overpacked batter yields dense dark patches. Foil tenting at 1 hour marks crucial; reduces crust burn, traps steam gently. Oven hot spot check needed—rotate pans after an hour if uneven browning visible. Test doneness not by timer only but skewer inserted in center; sticky crumbs okay but no raw batter. Cheesecloth wrapping soaked in liquor acts as moisture reservoir; tight seal crucial for aging phase. Rest in cool dark place, a cellar ideal, watch for mold—dryness. Prevent by wrapping tight.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Simmer fruit mix gently. Avoid rapid boil or burnt bits. Lift stuck sugars with wooden spoon only. No metal scoops—scuffs pot surface. Watch aroma shift—fruity sweetness, spices wake up, sharp cinnamon and allspice notes bloom. Let cool room temp before chilling overnight. This step softens fruit fully. Don’t rush it or fruit won’t plump right.
- 💡 Chop nuts coarse but not chunky. Too fine kills crunch, too big tears crumb when slicing. Pecan halves add texture variance to usually walnut-heavy mix. Brown sugar swaps in for white, adds molasses hint. Use cake flour where possible—not all-purpose—to keep crumb lighter, easier bite. Baking soda cut a bit less than usual; balances acidity from brown sugar and dries excess moisture.
- 💡 Wrap cakes in double folded cheesecloth soaked in bourbon or dark rum. If avoiding alcohol, sub with strong brewed black tea or unsweetened juice. Wrap tight but gentle to seal moisture inside. Then cover with foil to trap steam. Let cake rest minimum 3 days in cool spot, cellar if you got one. Flavors meld slowly; sugars redistribute. Don’t use plastic wrap—too tight, dries edges. Foil breathes just right.
- 💡 During bake, tent with foil after hour one. Prevents crust from getting too dark. Keeps moisture in. Rotate pans after hour if oven hot spots cause uneven browning. Test with skewer in center—wet crumbs cling but no raw batter. Overbaking leads to dryness. Remove from pans after 20 mins. Cool on racks before wrapping. Cake fragile when hot, lets steam off slowly without wrinkling cheesecloth.
- 💡 Measure dried fruits packed but lightly fluffed. Overpacked fruits overswell batter, cause dense patches. Toast allspice and cinnamon whole in dry pan briefly—wakes up oils and spices pop aroma before mixing in. Use filtered water to avoid off flavors soaking into fruit. Shortening stabilizes crumb but butter swap works; reduce water by 15 ml to adjust liquid balance. Small tweaks matter for crumb consistency.
Common questions
How long to rest wrapped cake?
Minimum 3 days cold spot. Each day builds layers. Could do longer. Cooler temp slows mold but watch dryness. Tight foil stop air flow. Cheesecloth wicks moisture back. Not overnight, not same day. Benefits need time.
What if no bourbon or rum?
Use strong brewed black tea or strong fruit juice. Adds moisture, some flavor. Alcohol helps preservation but not necessary. Amaretto, brandy also swaps. If skipping liquor, maybe add extra spices for depth.
Batter too dense?
Usually fruit packing or overmixing. Fold dry ingredients gently. Don’t pack in batter. Air pockets keep crumb moist. Coarse nuts add texture breaks. Underbaked cake also feels gummy. Test with skewer.
How to store leftover cake?
Wrap again in cheesecloth and foil or airtight container in cool, dark place. Refrigerate if humid or warm; can dry crumb so bring to room temp before serving. Freezer works for months but slices better than whole. Keep wrapped tightly.
