Description
A rich and festive Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe that’s been a global holiday favorite for over 200 years. Moist, flavorful, and packed with dried fruits and nuts, this timeless dessert brings cozy winter memories to life.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit (cherries, pineapple, apricots, etc.)
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
- ¼ cup candied green cherries, halved
- ¼ cup candied red cherries, halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a loaf or bundt pan, lining the bottom with parchment paper.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Fold in the mixed dried fruits and nuts gently.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Decorate with halved red and green candied cherries.
- Bake for 70–80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For a boozy version, soak fruits in rum overnight. To keep it alcohol-free, use apple juice instead. Store wrapped tightly for up to a week or freeze slices for longer freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Holiday
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 100g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe, holiday fruit cake, festive cake, Christmas dessert, fruit cake