Microwave Chocolate Fruit Cake, a decadent dessert that not only skips the eggs but is also ready to savor in just 20 minutes!
Unsweetened cocoa powder contributes to the chocolate flavor giving amazing, deep richness to the cake.
This creates it an incredibly delicious, twist on the classic fruit cake. Simple to make and so rich and decadent, this is the perfect way to spoil yourself, your family and friends too.
Visual Instructions
Here are step by step pictures so you can see what the mixture at each stage should look like.
The full printable recipe with amounts and instructions are at the end of this post.
- In a saucepan, bring ½ cup (125ml) water or juice to a boil, add 1 cup (150g) dried fruit. Boil for 2 minutes, then cover and leave uncovered for 10 minutes, allowing the fruit to absorb the liquid.
- In a large bowl, mix 6 tablespoons (90g) of butter and ½ cup (100g) of brown sugar using a whisk or handheld beater until well combined.
- Add ¼ cup (54ml) of plain unflavored yogurt or sour cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of almond extract (optional). Mix until well combined.
- Sift in 1 ⅓ cup (170g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 3 Tablespoons (22g) unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice (mixed spice), ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional) and ¼ teaspoon salt (add ½ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter) Mix lightly with a spatula.
- Mix in the fruit that should have absorbed most of the liquid by this point. If there's any remaining liquid in the pot, feel free to pour it in with the fruit. Stir until all the fruit is covered with the flour.
- Pour in 1 cup (230ml) milk
- Mix with a spatula to form a batter.
- Pour the batter into a microwave-safe dish lined with parchment paper. Bake in the microwave for between 6 to 8 minutes or the high power setting.
- Check if the cake is baked after 6 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the centre. The cake should be baked if the toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake
- If after 6 minutes the cake has not finished baking, continue to bake it until done.
- Keep in mind that the cooking time is going to vary depending on your microwave and the container you are using.
- After baking, allow the cake to cool in its container for 10 minutes. Then gently remove it from the container onto a plate.
Enjoy with or without frosting (icing)
10 and 11: With Frosting: I used a simple glacé icing (1 ¼ cups powdered sugar combined with 2 Tablespoons of hot water) for this cake. It dries to a smooth finish and is the perfect canvas for beautiful decorations.
- If you are frosting the cake, I suggest you turn it out onto a cooking rack, so that the bottom of the cake is now the top.
- This part of the cake has a much flatter surface and makes for a flawless, smoother spread glacé icing
Without frosting decorating ideas: Reserve about 2 to 4 Tablespoons of the soaked fruit to spread over the batter before baking. This gives the cake a beautiful appearance if served without the frosting.
Microwave Baking tips
Which container is the most suitable?
- The container used must be microwave safe. Keep in mind that the type of container used can affect the baking time and sometimes the texture of the cake.
- Never use regular metal oven pans for any of your microwave baking.
- Use only microwave-safe glass, silicone, plastic or ceramic containers.
- It is preferable to use a rounded container for this cake as it cooks more evenly around the edges.
How do you tell when the cake is baked?
- Microwave cakes bake very quickly, here are a few guidelines to have an idea of when it has baked.
- Check if the cake is baked by inserting a toothpick or thin metal skewer into the middle of the cake. If there is batter clinging to the toothpick, put the cake back into the microwave and bake at 1-minute increments until baked.
- The cake will be firm to the touch and will pull away from the sides of the pan when baked.
Avoid baking for too long
- Sometimes, you'll see the middle of the cake looking a bit gooey on the surface.
- That happens because the outside cooks faster with all that microwave power.
- Once the cake is taken out of the microwave, it continues to bake as the heat moves from the outer part to the cooler middle.
- So, even if it looks a bit undone at first, the leftover heat (called residual heat) will bake the middle of the cake.
Enjoy 😋
Recipe
Microwave Chocolate Fruit Cake
Ingredients
For the Soaked fruit
- ½ cup water or juice
- 1 cup dried fruit (See note 1)
For the cake
- 6 tablespoons butter (softened to room temperature)
- ½ cup brown sugar (see note 2)
- ¼ cup of plain unflavored yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon of almond extract (optional)
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour (same as plain flour -UK OR cake flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice (mixed spice)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (add ½ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter)
- ½ cup chopped pecan and cashews (optional)
- 1 cup milk
Glace icing / frosting(optional)
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 2 Tablespoons hot water
Instructions
Soak the fruit
- In a saucepan, bring water or juice to a boil, add dried fruit.½ cup water or juice, 1 cup dried fruit
- Boil for 2 minutes, then cover and leave uncovered for 10 minutes, allowing the fruit to absorb the liquid.
Grease and line a microwave safe container (see note 3)
- Prepare a microwave-safe container by greasing and lining it with parchment paper. Ensure the inner edges of the container are also greased or coated with non-stick cooking spray.
- I used an 8-inch (20cm) round glass container with a height of 2.7 inches (6.9cm). The cake will rise to approximately 2 inches (5cm) during the baking process
Cake batter
- In a large bowl, mix butter and brown sugar using a whisk or handheld beater until well combined.6 tablespoons butter, ½ cup brown sugar
- Add plain unflavored yogurt or sour cream, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using) Mix until well combined.¼ cup of plain unflavored yogurt or sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon of almond extract
- Sift in all purpose flour, baking powder and unsweetened cocoa powder.1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add ground cinnamon, allspice (mixed spice), ground nutmeg (if using) and salt. Mix lightly with a spatula.1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Mix in the fruit that should have absorbed most of the liquid by this point. If there's any remaining liquid in the pot, feel free to pour it in with the fruit. Stir until all the fruit is evenly coated with the flour. Add in any chopped nuts now if using½ cup chopped pecan and cashews
- Pour in the milk and mix with a spatula to form a batter.1 cup milk
- Pour the batter into the microwave-safe dish lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in the microwave for between 6 to 8 minutes or the high power setting. (see note 4)
- Check if the cake is baked after 6 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center. The cake should be baked if the toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake
- If after 6 minutes the cake has not finished baking, continue to bake it until done.
- Keep in mind that the cooking time is going to vary depending on your microwave and the container you are using.
- After baking, allow the cake to cool in its container for 10 minutes. Then gently remove it from the container onto a plate.
Frosting -The cake can be served with or without frosting (see note 5)
- If frosting: If you are frosting the cake, I suggest you turn it out onto a cooking rack, so that the bottom of the cake is now the top.
- This part of the cake has a much flatter surface and makes for a flawless, smoother spread glacé icing
- Cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting (glacé icing) (optional)
- Add powdered sugar and boiling water in a medium bowl and mix to combine.1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons hot water
- If you feel that the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of boiling water at a time to get it to the desired consistency.
- If too thin, add a Tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time to get it to the desired consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, gently pushing it along the edges for a drip effect.
- Ensure that you use the frosting immediately after mixing. As it cools,it dries and thickens making it difficult to spread and get a smooth finish. An offset spatula dipped in a glass of hot water and dried helps work the frosting around the cake easier
- Leave the frosting to dry on the cake for about 30 minutes to an hour, before topping with any decoration.
Storage
- At room temperature: Keep covered in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Serve at room temperature
Notes
- The baking time in my recipe is based on my 1000 watt microwave. This means that your baking time will vary by either a few minutes more or less depending on your microwave.
- Check if the cake is baked by inserting a toothpick or thin metal skewer into the middle of the cake. If there is batter clinging to the toothpick, put the cake back into the microwave and bake at 1-minute increments until baked.
- The cake will be firm to the touch and will pull away from the sides of the pan when baked.
- Sometimes, you'll see the middle of the cake looking a bit gooey on the surface. That happens because the outside cooks faster with all that microwave power.
- Once the cake is taken out of the microwave, it continues to bake as the heat moves from the outer part to the cooler middle. So, even if it looks a bit undone at first, the leftover heat (called residual heat) will bake the middle of the cake.
Nutrition
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