Homemade Fruit Cake
This homemade fruit cake is moist, buttery, and filled with colorful dried fruit and nuts. It is easy to prepare and has a warm vanilla-and-spice flavor that makes it especially delicious with tea or coffee.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
For the Fruit and Nuts
- 1½ cups mixed dried fruit
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Prepare the fruit: Place the dried fruit, raisins, and chopped nuts in a bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of flour and toss until lightly coated. This helps keep the fruit from sinking completely to the bottom of the cake.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for about 3–4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine the batter: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined; don’t overmix.
- Fold in the fruit: Gently fold the floured dried fruit and nuts into the batter using a spatula. Make sure they are distributed evenly without overmixing.
- Fill the pan: Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Bake for approximately 65–80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and serve: Once completely cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to slice the fruit cake. Serve plain or with a little butter alongside tea or coffee.
Helpful Tips
- Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature for a smoother batter.
- If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil during the final part of baking.
- Don’t cut the cake while it is still very hot, as it can crumble.
- For an extra-moist cake, wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly and let it rest overnight before slicing.
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or refrigerate it for longer storage.
