Old-Fashioned Fruitcake
Fruitcake
A traditional fruitcake packed with soaked dried fruit, toasted nuts, warm spices, and a buttery brown sugar crumb that keeps well for holiday slicing.
Old-fashioned fruitcake is best when the fruit tastes plump rather than dry, so this version begins by warming raisins, currants, dates, cherries, and candied citrus peel with orange juice and brandy. The short soak softens the fruit and seasons the cake from the inside without needing weeks of aging.
The batter is deliberately sturdy, with butter, brown sugar, molasses, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice carrying the deep holiday flavor. Toasted pecans and walnuts add structure, while a modest amount of flour keeps the cake sliceable instead of bready.
Fruitcake bakes low and slow so the edges do not scorch before the center sets. Lining the loaf pan with parchment is worth the minute it takes, because the dense fruit and sugar can cling to the pan if the cake is turned out too soon.
Brush the warm cake with a little brandy, rum, or orange juice, then let it cool completely before slicing. The flavor improves overnight, and the wrapped cake keeps well for several days, making it a practical make-ahead dessert for holiday trays.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Heat the oven to 300°F and line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving overhang on the long sides.
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2
Combine the raisins, currants, dates, candied cherries, candied citrus peel, orange juice, and 1/4 cup brandy or orange juice in a saucepan.
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3
Warm the fruit mixture over medium-low heat until steaming, then remove it from the heat and let it stand for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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4
Beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and molasses in a large bowl until the mixture looks creamy and slightly lighter.
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5
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla and orange zest.
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6
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves in a separate bowl.
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7
Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the soaked fruit with its liquid, pecans, and walnuts.
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8
Scrape the thick batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan gently to settle the fruit.
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9
Bake for 90 to 100 minutes, until a skewer inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and no wet batter.
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10
Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, brush the top with brandy, rum, or orange juice, then lift it onto a rack to cool completely before slicing.
Ingredients
- Golden raisins:1 cup
- Dark raisins:1 cup
- Dried currants:1/2 cup
- Chopped pitted dates:1/2 cup
- Candied red cherries, halved:1/2 cup
- Candied citrus peel, chopped:1/3 cup
- Orange juice:1/2 cup
- Brandy or additional orange juice:1/4 cup
- Unsalted butter, softened:3/4 cup
- Packed dark brown sugar:3/4 cup
- Molasses:2 tbsp
- Large eggs:3
- Vanilla extract:1 tsp
- Finely grated orange zest:1 tbsp
- All-purpose flour:1 3/4 cups
- Baking powder:1 tsp
- Fine salt:1/2 tsp
- Ground cinnamon:1 1/2 tsp
- Ground nutmeg:1/2 tsp
- Ground allspice:1/4 tsp
- Ground cloves:1/8 tsp
- Chopped toasted pecans:3/4 cup
- Chopped toasted walnuts:1/2 cup
- Brandy, rum, or orange juice for brushing:2 tbsp
Tips & Notes
- For a stronger aged flavor, brush the cooled cake lightly with brandy, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate it overnight before serving.
- Use fresh, soft dried fruit; very hard raisins or dates should soak a few minutes longer before going into the batter.
- Slice fruitcake with a thin serrated knife and wipe the blade between cuts for the neatest pieces.
