Description
Christmas Fruitcake is one of the most traditional and nostalgic holiday desserts, especially for families who enjoy classic Christmas baking. This rich and flavorful fruitcake is packed with colorful candied fruit, raisins, dried fruit, crunchy nuts, warm spices, and a tender buttery cake.
Ingredients
For the Fruit Mixture:
- 2 cups mixed candied fruit
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped dried cherries
- ½ cup chopped dates
- ½ cup orange juice or apple juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Optional Holiday Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons orange juice or milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Place the candied fruit, raisins, golden raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, and chopped dates in a large bowl.
Pour the orange juice or apple juice over the fruit and stir well. Cover the bowl and allow the fruit to soak for at least 30 minutes. For even better flavor and texture, you can soak the fruit for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Before adding the fruit to the batter, drain any excess liquid if necessary.
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
Grease a 9-inch loaf pan or a 10-inch tube or bundt-style pan thoroughly with butter or nonstick baking spray.
For easier removal, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Because fruitcake is a dense cake, make sure the pan is prepared well so the cake does not stick.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Mixing the dry ingredients separately helps distribute the spices and leavening agents evenly throughout the cake.
Set the dry mixture aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy.
This usually takes about 3–4 minutes with an electric mixer.
Properly creaming the butter and sugar helps create a lighter texture in the finished fruitcake.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the vanilla extract and orange zest and mix until combined.
The mixture may look slightly curdled after adding the eggs, but this is normal.
Add the sour cream and mix gently until incorporated.
The sour cream adds moisture and richness to the Christmas Fruitcake while helping prevent the cake from becoming dry.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears.
Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the fruitcake heavier and tougher than necessary.
Add the soaked dried fruit, pecans, and walnuts to the batter.
Use a large spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold everything together.
Make sure the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Spread the top evenly with a spatula.
Because fruitcake batter is thick, gently tap the pan against the counter a few times to remove any large air pockets.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 70–90 minutes, depending on the size and depth of your pan.
The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil during the final portion of baking.
Remove the fruitcake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 15–20 minutes.
Carefully run a knife around the edges if necessary, then transfer the cake to a wire rack.
Allow it to cool completely before glazing or slicing.
To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice or milk, and vanilla extract.
Add a little more liquid if you prefer a thinner glaze, or more powdered sugar if you want it thicker.
Once the cake has completely cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top.
Allow the glaze to set for several minutes before slicing.
For a more traditional presentation, you can simply dust the cooled fruitcake with powdered sugar instead.
Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the Christmas Fruitcake into slices.
For the cleanest slices, allow the cake to cool completely before cutting.
Serve with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or your favorite Christmas beverage.
Notes
Christmas Fruitcake is a dense cake, so it should be baked at a moderate temperature rather than a very high temperature. This allows the center to cook properly without causing the outside to become overly dark.
Do not rely only on the baking time. Oven temperatures and pan sizes vary, so always check the center with a toothpick or cake tester.
For the best texture, avoid slicing the cake while it is still warm. Allowing it to cool completely helps the fruitcake firm up and makes it much easier to slice.
If you want an even richer and more developed flavor, prepare the fruitcake one or two days before serving. The flavors have more time to blend as the cake rests.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 70–90 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Protein: 5 g