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Never Fail Old Fashioned Moist Fruit Cake

Close-up of a moist slice of fruit cake recipe packed with colorful dried and candied fruits.
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A traditional, dense fruit cake recipe that stays wonderfully moist, perfect for holiday baking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 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 orange juice
  • 1 pound mixed candied fruit
  • 1 cup raisins or currants
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup chopped glacĂ© cherries

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or two 8-inch round pans.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
  6. Stir in the orange juice until the batter is smooth.
  7. In another bowl, toss the candied fruit, raisins, nuts, and cherries with 2 tablespoons of the reserved flour mixture to prevent sinking.
  8. Fold the coated fruit and nuts into the batter gently.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Place a pan of water on the lower rack of the oven to help maintain moisture during baking.
  10. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours for a tube pan, or 1 hour and 15 minutes for round pans, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  11. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • To keep the cake extra moist, you can brush the top of the cooled cake with 2 tablespoons of brandy or dark rum, then wrap tightly in cheesecloth soaked in more liquor, and then aluminum foil. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.
  • If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, brush the cooled cake with orange juice instead of liquor.
  • Use a metal skewer or wooden toothpick to test for doneness.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerykings.com/fruit-cake-recipe-never-fail-old-fashioned-moist/