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4 from 2 votes

Easy Fruit Cake-without alcohol

Easy Fruit cake - This classic cake baked as a tray bake is super easy to prepare. It’s perfect to bake, frost and serve straight from the baking pan. Deliciously versatile, frost the cake with buttercream, whipped cream, glace, fondant or serve as is.
Course cake / dessert
Cuisine Australian, British, Western
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Fruit soaking 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 15 -20

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 3 cups / 495g mixed dried fruit see note 1 see note 1
  • 1 ½ cups /150g /5oz chopped candied / glacé cherries
  • Liquid of your choice to soak the fruit. Ensure that it is enough to cover the fruit in the bowl see note 2
  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • ¾ cup brown sugar see note 3
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons all spice see note 4
  • 1 ⅓ cup cake or all purpose or plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

Soak the fruit

  • Combine the fruit with the liquid of your choice in a bowl. Use enough liquid to cover all the fruit in the bowl and let rest overnight. If you are using water, make sure that it is hot before adding the dried fruit. Forgot about doing this step? Not to worry, simply microwave the fruit and liquid together in a bowl for 1 minute, or until it is hot, cover, and let rest for 1 hour.

Make the cake

  • Preheat oven to 320°F /160°C / (140°C fan)
  • Grease and line a 13 by 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) baking pan with baking paper (parchment paper)
  • Cream the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes using an electric hand beater until smooth.
  • Add in the eggs and spices and continue beating for another minute until combined.
  • Fold in the flour and baking powder.
  • Then, drain the fruit, reserving about 2 Tablespoons of the liquid for the recipe.
  • Mix the fruit into the batter and spoon the mixture to the prepared lined baking pan.
  • Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Insert a skewer to test. If it comes out clean, the cake is baked. Set aside to cool. see note 5
  • Decorate as preferred (see decorating tips below)
  • Slice into squares to serve.

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature and consume within 4 days.

Frequently asked questions

    Can I freeze a fruit cake made without alcohol?

    • A cake made without alcohol will not keep as well as one that is made with alcohol.
    • Fruitcake with no alcohol should be consumed within 4 days of baking or tightly wrapped in a double layer of plastic/cling and frozen for up to six months. Thaw the cake overnight at room temperature.

    Can I bake this fruit cake in advance?

    • Yes, you can prepare this cake up to 6 months in advance.
    • After baking, allow the cake to cool completely then wrap without frosting in a double layer of plastic/cling and freeze for up to six months. Thaw the cake overnight at room temperature.

    How to frost/decorate/serve fruit cake

    • Frosting or decorating is optional but can be the crowning glory for an impressive bake.
    • Top with sifted powdered sugar after baking
    • Swirl a layer of buttercream over the cool baked cake
    • Spread whipped cream and top with cherries or fruit
    • Cover with a layer of store-bought sugar paste or fondant (read package for instructions on rolling out the fondant)
    • Serve with homemade custard.

    Notes

    1. Use any dried mixed fruit you prefer. it should weigh 650g / 25 oz in total. I use the store-bought mix of raisins, sultanas, currants, and cherries.
    2. You can soak the fruit in either water, apple, orange or cranberry juice. The flavor of your cake is based on the fruit and juice mix you use. If you do not want the prominent flavor of juice in the cake, then just use water. Its neutral and allows you to have more of the fruit and warm spice flavor in the cake.
    3. Brown sugar is simply white sugar but with molasses added into it. You can use white sugar as an alternative. However, this will slightly alter the taste and texture of the cake. This is because brown sugar contributes to the moisture and color of the baked cake. Brown sugar also produces a slight caramel like flavor, which might be absent when substituting with white sugar.
    4. I use mixed or all spice in this recipe. If these are not available, then pumpkin spice or the following blend makes a great alternative. As a substitution for 1 teaspoon of allspice, you can use ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, and a pinch of ground nutmeg.
    5. If the top of the cake browns and darkens faster before it is completely baked just cover lightly with foil and remove it about 10 minutes before the end of the baking time.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 36mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thegardeningfoodie or tag #thegardeningfoodie!