Easy Traditional Fruitcake Recipe

Okay, hear me out. I know fruitcake has a bad reputation—like, it’s basically the punchline of every holiday joke ever. But here’s the thing: a good fruitcake is actually incredible. We’re talking moist, boozy, packed with fruit and nuts, and nothing like those dense doorstops your great-aunt used to mail in a tin. This is the fruitcake that’ll make people actually ask for seconds. Yes, really.

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Why This Fruitcake Recipe is Awesome

Let’s address the elephant in the room: most people think fruitcake is gross because they’ve only had terrible fruitcake. You know the kind—dry, weirdly neon-colored fruit bits, tastes like sweetened cardboard. This Fruitcake recipe is nothing like that. This is a legit traditional fruitcake that’s actually moist, flavorful, and doesn’t require a gallon of eggnog to choke down.

Here’s what makes it awesome: it’s loaded with dried fruits and nuts (the good stuff), it’s soaked in booze (which acts as a preservative and flavor bomb), and it actually gets better with time. Make it a few weeks before the holidays, let it hang out wrapped in brandy-soaked cheesecloth, and boom—you’ve got yourself a cake that tastes like Christmas in edible form.

Plus, it keeps for months. MONTHS. You could literally make this in October and serve it at New Year’s. Try doing that with a regular cake and you’ll end up with a science experiment.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the fruit and nut mixture:

• 2 cups mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, cranberries, cherries—whatever floats your boat)
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup brandy or rum (plus extra for “feeding” the cake later)
• Zest of 1 orange
• Zest of 1 lemon

For the cake batter:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ cup molasses or honey
• ¼ cup orange juice

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Soak your fruit overnight. Combine all the dried fruit, nuts, brandy, and citrus zest in a large bowl. Cover it and let it sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. The fruit will absorb the booze and get all plump and happy. If you’re in a rush, you can get away with 2-3 hours, but overnight is better.

2. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Low and slow is the name of the game here. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan or loaf pan with parchment paper. You want parchment on the bottom AND sides for easy removal later.

3. Make the batter. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer). Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla, molasses, and orange juice.

4. Mix your dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Don’t skip this step—it ensures your spices are evenly distributed.

5. Combine everything. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in your soaked fruit and nut mixture (including any liquid left in the bowl). The batter will be thick and chunky—this is correct.

6. Pour into your prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Give the pan a few taps on the counter to release any air bubbles.

7. Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be deep golden brown. If it’s browning too quickly, tent it with foil halfway through baking.

8. Cool and “feed” the cake. Let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack. Once completely cool, poke holes all over the top with a skewer and brush with 2-3 tablespoons of brandy or rum. Wrap tightly in cheesecloth soaked in booze, then wrap in plastic wrap and foil. Store in a cool, dark place.

9. Feed it weekly. Once a week for 3-4 weeks, unwrap the cake, brush it with more brandy, re-wrap, and store again. This is what makes it incredibly moist and flavorful.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the soaking step. If you don’t soak your fruit, you’ll end up with hard, chewy bits that taste like disappointment. Give them time to plump up and absorb all that boozy goodness.

Baking at too high a temperature. Fruitcake needs low and slow. High heat will burn the outside while leaving the inside raw. Patience, young grasshopper.

Not lining your pan properly. This cake is sticky and dense. If you don’t line your pan well, you’ll be chiseling it out like an archaeologist. Learn from others’ mistakes.

Using those weird candied fruit things. You know the ones—those radioactive-looking red and green chunks. Skip them. Use real dried fruit and your cake will actually taste like food.

Not feeding the cake. The weekly booze brush-down isn’t optional. It’s what keeps the cake moist and develops that deep, complex flavor. Don’t be lazy.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Alcohol: Not into booze? Use apple juice, orange juice, or grape juice instead. The cake won’t keep as long, but it’ll still taste good. FYI, the alcohol mostly evaporates during baking, so you’re mainly getting flavor.

Dried fruit: Mix and match whatever you like. Figs, prunes, dried pineapple, dried mango—go wild. Just keep the total amount the same (about 4 cups of fruit total).

Nuts: Allergic to nuts? Just add more dried fruit. Or use seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for some crunch.

Spices: The spice blend is traditional, but you can adjust to your taste. More cinnamon, less cloves, add some ginger—make it yours.

Sweetener: Swap the molasses for honey or maple syrup. Each will give you a slightly different flavor profile, but all work great.

Final Thoughts

Look, I get it—fruitcake isn’t trendy. It’s not going to get you Instagram likes. But it’s a legitimate holiday tradition that’s been around for centuries for a reason. When done right, it’s rich, complex, and deeply satisfying. Plus, there’s something kind of badass about making a cake that lasts for months and gets better with age.

Give this Fruitcake recipe a shot. Make it for the holidays, let it age properly, and watch people’s minds change about fruitcake. You might just start a new tradition. Or at the very least, you’ll have a delicious cake that you can literally forget about for weeks without it going bad.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

How long does fruitcake actually last? When properly wrapped and stored in a cool, dark place, this fruitcake will keep for 3-6 months easy. Some people even age them for a year. The alcohol acts as a preservative, so as long as you’re feeding it regularly and keeping it wrapped tight, you’re golden. Once cut, it’ll keep for about a month.

Do I have to use alcohol? Will it make me drunk? You don’t have to, but the alcohol is traditional and really does improve the flavor and texture. That said, most of it evaporates during baking, and what’s left is minimal. You’re not going to catch a buzz from a slice of fruitcake. If you’re avoiding alcohol for personal or religious reasons, just substitute with juice.

Can I freeze fruitcake? Absolutely! Wrap it really well (like, several layers of plastic wrap plus foil) and freeze for up to a year. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving. Honestly though, if you’re feeding it with booze and storing it properly, freezing isn’t necessary—it keeps just fine at room temp.

Why is my fruitcake dry? Usually because it wasn’t fed enough alcohol after baking, or it was baked at too high a temperature. Make sure you’re brushing it with brandy weekly and that you baked it low and slow. Also, wrapping it tightly is crucial—if air gets in, it’ll dry out. If your cake did dry out, you can revive it somewhat by poking holes and feeding it extra booze.