Heritage Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe
There’s no smell quite like it — dried fruits steeped in brandy, warm spice filling the kitchen, and the quiet sense of something lasting being made.
This classic Christmas fruit cake is rich, beautifully moist, and designed to mature gently over time. Whether you’re baking it for tradition, gifting, or simply to share with family over tea, this heritage recipe is a celebration of patience, memory, and flavour. For a beautiful festive finish, I love baking this in a classic Bundt tin – you can find one I recommend here.
You can bake this cake up to 4 weeks before Christmas, feeding it weekly with a spoonful of brandy. If you’re baking your Christmas fruit cake closer to the holidays, say about two weeks in advance, you can still develop a rich and flavourful result by feeding it more frequently.
Instead of the traditional once-a-week feed, try adding a tablespoon or two of brandy every 3 to 4 days. This helps intensify the flavour and keep the cake moist in a shorter maturing period. Just be sure to let each feed soak in fully before adding more, and stop if the cake starts to feel overly damp. Wrapped well and stored in a cool, dark place, your cake will still be wonderfully festive and delicious by Christmas.
Whether you bake it way before Christmas or closer to the holiday, it slices perfectly, keeps well, and fills the season with meaning.
👉 [Read the story behind this fruit cake here.]
Ingredients
- FOR THE SOAKED FRUIT:
- 400 g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants)
- 100 g chopped dried apricots or figs
- 75 g glacé cherries, halved
- 75 g candied mixed peel
- 100 ml brandy or dark rum
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- FOR THE CAKE:
- 225 g plain flour
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 200 g unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g soft brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp black treacle or molasses
- 100 g ground almonds
- 50 g chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans, optional)
- TO FEED THE CAKE:
- 3-4 tbsp brandy, over several weeks
- OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- Marzipan and royal icing
- Whole nuts and glacé fruit for decoration
Instructions
- The day before baking, combine all the dried fruits, candied peel, cherries, and zest in a large bowl. Pour over the brandy and stir well. Cover and leave to soak overnight at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan). Grease and line a deep 20cm round cake tin with baking paper, ensuring the paper rises at least 5 cm above the rim.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, spices, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the treacle.
- Fold in the sifted flour mixture, followed by the ground almonds and chopped nuts if using. Finally, stir through the soaked fruits and any remaining liquid until fully combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.
- Bake for 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the cake is browning too fast, tent with foil for the final 30–45 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin. Then remove it from the tin and wrap in fresh baking paper and foil.
- To store and feed: Poke a few holes in the top of the cake with a skewer and spoon over 1 tablespoon of brandy every week. Keep the cake in a cool, dark place, tightly wrapped.
- Decorate as desired with marzipan and royal icing a few days before serving — or just sprinkle with icing sugar and enjoy it plain, with tea.
Share your thoughts
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