This Everyday Fruit Cake, cooked in a loaf tin, is almost apologetically easy. Just weigh, stir and cook, which is just as well for me because it's in great demand in our house. For special occasions, I will make something that takes more effort but, for everyday eating, this cake is perfect - tasty, quick and easy.
I often make an Everyday Fruit Cake to take with us when we go on holiday because it travels well and keeps for a week. It's the ideal cake with a cup of tea when you've been out for the day. We're off to the coast in a couple of weeks and the sea air, combined with lots of walks, always makes me hungry. In fact, now I'm wondering whether to take two.
Key ingredients
Dried fruit
The beauty of this cake is that you can use whatever dried fruit you have, add nuts and cherries - anything you like or have. The only thing you have to remember is to keep the total weight to 400g (14oz).
Secret Ingredient
My special ingredient in this Everyday Fruit Cake is a spoonful of jam - any flavour. I started putting jam in when I was given a couple of jars that had been slightly overcooked. The jam was too stiff and treacly tasting to use as it was, so I added it to a fruit cake and liked it.
If you don't have any jam, you could use marmalade or honey - or even golden syrup (but not too much or the cake will be very sweet).
All-in-one method makes for an easy cake
To make this fruit cake easy, I use the all-in-one method. You can use any machine to mix the batter (as the professionals call the cake mix without the fruit).
Whatever you use, make sure you stir the fruit in by hand. It only takes a minute but then you won't chop it up.
Is this a moist cake?
Yes it is, BUT cakes can turn out dry for a number of reasons, mostly to do with the bake time and temperature. Unfortunately what the thermostat says may not be accurate!
If your cakes turn out dry, check out my article Why Is My Cake Dry? for some of the most common reasons and the solutions.
Make two and freeze one
I do usually make two at a time and freeze one. When there are only two of us at home I often cut them in half and freeze three halves. That way I'm certain the fruit cake always tastes fresh. I keep it in the fridge, which isn't essential, but it does keep the cake moist.
How to make it gluten-free
Thanks to Vanessa, one of my readers: I've made this several times using gluten-free flour, I just add a teaspoon of baking powder and twice as much milk, as I find gluten-free flour tends to absorb more moisture.
How do you make a vegan Fruit Cake?
Thanks again to Vanessa, for her advice about egg replacement: I make this vegan by using the equivalent of 3 flaxseed eggs (1 egg replacement - 1 tablespoon flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water, blitzed until it's smooth and starts to thicken up).
Use your favourite plant milk and any block margarine instead of butter.
Cake tin conversion
- If you don't have a loaf tin, you can make this fruit cake in an 18cm (7-inch) round deep tin or a 15cm (6-inch) square tin.
- To make this recipe in 2 1lb loaf tins, increase the cooking temperature by 10°C. Halve the cooking time and keep testing until it's done.
What else do you need to make Everyday Fruit Cake?
- 2lb loaf tin - I have two of these so that I can make double quantities
- Baking parchment loaf tin liner - stops the cake sticking and keeps the tin clean - so less washing up. You can also store the cake in the liner until you're ready to eat it, keeping it nice and moist. Just make sure you buy the right size for your loaf tin. Old fashioned loaf tins are squarer and deeper (and better for bread, I think) than the others which are good for cakes.
If you like this...
...Why don't you try:
Quick Christmas Cake
Cherry Cake
Fruit Tea Scone
Stockists
Buy Now → 
Baking parchment loaf tin liner
Buy Now →Pin for later
Hover over any picture on the page and hit the Save button to pin the image to one of your Pinterest boards.
Recipe
Everyday Fruit Cake
Ingredients
For the Everyday Fruit Cake:
- 400 g mixed dried fruit see note
- 125 g butter at room temperature see note
- 3 large eggs
- 60 ml milk, (4 tablespoons)
- 1 rounded tablespoon jam (any flavour)
- 125 g soft brown sugar dark or light - see note
- 250 g self-raising flour see note
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice (10ml)
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/ 150°C fan/ gas mark 3/ 325°F
- Either grease the tin with butter or just pop the liner in
- Weigh the fruit into a bowl for later
For the Everyday Fruit Cake:
- Put all the ingredients except the fruit into a large bowl (or your mixer/food processor).125 g butter at room temperature, 3 large eggs, 60 ml milk,, 1 rounded tablespoon jam (any flavour), 125 g soft brown sugar, 250 g self-raising flour, 2 teaspoons mixed spice
- Beat together well, but don't overdo it
- Scrape the mixture down and mix again
- Add the dried fruit and stir in by hand. You don't want to break up the fruit400 g mixed dried fruit
- Carefully put the mixture in the tin/liner and use a knife to make a slight depression in the top of the mixture. This means you will have less of a domed top
- Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and test with a toothpick. When it comes out clean the cake is done. If not, return to the oven for 10 minutes and repeat. You may need up to 1 hour 45 mins
- Take the cake out of the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool
- Store in an airtight box when cool. (You can leave the liner on until the cake is served)
Notes
Everyday Cooks Tips:
Ingredients:- Dried fruit: Use any mixture that you like. Either a ready mix, or whatever you have or like. I put cherries in mine and I don't wash them for this recipe. Just cut in half. If you like nuts add 50g of flaked almonds and 350g fruit
- Butter: If it's cold, heat in the microwave for 30 sec on LOW. Repeat if necessary. Don't melt it
- Brown sugar: Dark or light is fine. I prefer light in this recipe as dark brown sugar has a stronger flavour
- Flour: If you don't have self-raising flour, use plain flour and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
Sian Hall says
Hi, please can you let me know if I can use gluten free flour for this cake and what the cooking time will be. I've made it with regular flour and it's the best cake ever.
Vanessa Tong says
I've made this several times using gluten free flour, I just add a teaspoon of baking powder and twice as much milk, as I find gluten free flour tends to absorb more moisture. I also make this vegan by using the equivalent of 3 flaxseed eggs (1 egg replacement - 1 tablespoon flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water, blitzed until its smooth and starts to thicken up).
Susie Collings says
Vanessa, Thank you so much for your advice. I will incorporate it into the recipe as many people want to cook GF or vegan. Cheers - Susie
Stephanie says
I just tried this. It came absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I just added two tablespoons of a good brandy. I used soft light brown sugar, strawberry jam and unsalted butter. I mixed everything by hand. It tastes divine. I am somewhere floating in heaven right now. 🙂 Thank you.
Susie Collings says
Hi Stephanie, So pleased you like the cake. Did you soak the fruit in the brandy or just add it? Either way it sounds good. 🙂
Sandy says
Absolutely my Best Attempt at Fruit cake Ever , the WHOLE family loved it, Great idea soaking Fruit in tea,I’d never done this before, Perfect Recipe and so simple. Can’t wait for the next one, if I get my skates on, ⛸⛸should be ready by Teatime today 🤗😋😋😋😋😋😋🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Susie Collings says
Hi Sandy, Sounds like you love this cake! It's so great to hear that 🙂
sandra fox says
looks good so i am going to give it a go today what with the virus its good to find things to do and baking is always good GOOD THERAPY so here goes im 84 and active thanks
Susie Collings says
Hi Sandra. You're absolutely right. We have to find things to do that make us feel good at the moment. Hope your cooking goes well 🙂
pauline Stacey says
Hello Sandra Fox, I`m 84 also, and yes I used to make an everyday fruit cake when I was younger, no problem, suddenly I seem unable, just have this in the oven, hence only 4stars, and was trouble with the butter, seems however hard I tried, the butter was still in lump form...
Susie Collings says
Hi Sandra, I have found that I have to leave my butter out of the fridge for longer these days before I bake with it. I think it's because my fridge is colder now. I often take it out the night before. Maybe that will help.
Josy Owen says
Can’t go wrong with this fruit cake It’s ,perfect!
Susie Collings says
Hi Josy - thanks for that. So glad you like it 🙂
Gordon Deverux says
I took the butter straight from the fridge cut it into cubes and left on a sunny window cill while I prepared ever thing else and it was fine. I also used some jam that I had made from a pack of frozen summer fruits that had not set as much as I'd like. The cake is in the oven now.
Susie Collings says
Hi Gordon, Glad you like this cake and that it's fulfilling it's original purpose of using up not-quite-right jam (in that case, overcooked) 🙂
Susan Davies says
Hi this is the second time I have made your fruit cake,it turned out lovely the first time except it was a little dry.The second time I soaked the dried fruit which seemed a bit dry in brandy and hot water to plump it up.This cake came out lovely and moist but impossible to cut it just crumbles.I tested the cake several times with a skewer which came out quite dry but there was still a small amount of the mixture looking a little wet on top.I baked the cake for 1 hour and 35 minutes and weighed all ingredients on a digital scales,can you help because I love this recipe.
Lynn says
I have made this cake a few times now. Where it tastes lovely, it's always very crumbly. Why is that? I'm thinking of following a different recipe.
Susie Collings says
Hi Lynn. See my reply to Susan. Hope that helps 🙂
Susie Collings says
Hi Susan, I would try cooking the cake for a slightly shorter time as a dry cake will crumble. I do keep mine in the fridge, which will also reduce drying as the cake ages. Make sure your eggs are large ones. If in doubt they should weigh 63-73g in the shell. Take a look at Why is My Cake Dry?
Hope that helps. Cheers - Susie
Wendy says
Thank you for suggesting weighing the eggs. I hadn’t realised quite what a difference that makes.
Susie Collings says
Hi Wendy, Glad it helped - Susie
Gaye Neill says
Made this cake a few times over lockdown so easy and had lots of Positive comments on it. So glad I found it when googling fruit cakes. I added a few crushed walnuts and marmalade as had no jam just waiting on it coming out oven for tomorrow’s visitors😀.
Susie Collings says
Hi Gaye, Marmalade is good too. I love orange in a fruit cake. Using up what you have is a good feeling 🙂 Hope your visitors enjoyed it. Cheers - Susie
Emma says
I’m fairly new to baking but followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. Made it as a gift for my fruit cake loving grandad and he was very pleased. Thank you!
Susie Collings says
Hi Emma, So pleased your grandad liked the cake - and how lovely for him to have such a thoughtful granddaughter! Cheers - Susie
Belinda Hill says
Can u double the ingredients as I’m making a birthday cake for my mum & she would love the everyday fruit cake
Susie Collings says
Hi Belinda, You can make a bigger cake. As a guide I use:
The quantities in the recipe in a 7-inch round deep cake tin.
For an 8-inch (20cm) round tin, increase the quantities by 1/3 and cooking time by about 30 minutes, but test before the end.
For an 8-inch square/ 9-inch (23cm) round tin, increase the quantities by 2/3 and increase cooking time by 45-60 minutes.
Cheers - Susie
Dorothy Wilde says
Such an easy and delicious cake. I have made one for my 2 grandchildren, as a gift from Grandmama. I have been shielding since the end of February and so have not seen them. It has gone down a storm my daughter informs me! So thanks Susie. I need to make a smaller one for my husband. Will it work if I halve the ingredients? I am putting dates, dried apricots and mango in his cake. Should I soak the apricots and mango? One of your reviewers mentions fruit sinking, especially cherries. I always wash mine and get the sticky stuff off them, pat them dry and sprinkle a little flour on them. They never sink.
Fabulous recipe Susie, you are a star!
Dorothy
x
Susie Collings says
Hi Dorothy, Glad you and your grandchildren like the cake. Tough times to be a grandmother! Halving the ingredients in a 1lb tin is fine. You could soak the fruit - up to you really - that combination sounds great. Cheers - Susie
Louise says
Hello my cake has been in the oven for 1 hour 45mins now and is no where near cooked
Susie Collings says
Hi Louise, Ovens vary. Keep testing every 15 mins.
Maureen says
Can you use su flower oil instead of butter? And how much?
Callum ross says
Yea I would say so just make sure it’s not to runny
Susie Collings says
Hi Maureen, Butter is 80% fat, so use 100g oil, which is about 110ml in volume. Then add 25ml extra milk or other liquid. Cheers - Susie
Bev says
Really good recipe for a lighter fruit cake ... similar to a Dundee cake. Recipe was easy to follow and worked well. Liked the fact that it uses a loaf tin, as cake easier to slice. I added homemade marmalade, and chopped almonds. Soaked my sultanas, cherries and flame raisins in tea ... will try malt whisky next time, and sprinkle Demerara sugar/ almonds over the top, prior to baking, as others have suggested.
Thank you so much, Susie, for creating such an excellent website with recipes that are simple and that actually work! I look forwards to browsing the rest of it!
Susie Collings says
Hi Bev, Thanks for that 🙂 I'm so pleased you like this recipe. Cheers - Susie
Susan prirchard says
Looking for a simple walnut cake could I use this recipe and leave the fruit out
Joyce says
I haven't got anything to measure 60 ml of milk in, what is the equivalent please
Lorraine says
60ml is 4 tablespoons 🙂
Tracy Thompson says
I use my measuring spoons, 4 tablespoons is 60ml
Susie Collings says
Recipe updated to show tablespoons as well - Susie