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
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Baking parchment loaf tin liner
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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.
Helen says
Hi, have you ever made a gluten free version?
Susie says
Hi Helen, I haven't made this with GF flour, but I regularly make other cakes using a non-wheat GF flour such as Dove's Farm, and they've always been fine.
Cheer - Susie
Rebecca says
Hi Susie,
Just to let you know that this is now my 'go to' cake to have in the cupboard (and freezer).
I find that different jams do affect the cake more than I would expect but it's always really tasty.
I only discovered the recipe about six months ago and it's now a staple. Thanks for sharing.
Rebecca
Jean says
Rebecca which jm have you found to be the best
Rebecca says
Hi Jean,
I've used homemade blackberry, plum and strawberry jams and probably my fave is plum, followed by strawberry, but these are quite light jams.
The least successful (relatively) is the blackberry, mainly as it does add a lot of seeds and makes the cake a slightly unusual purple colour. It's still very nice though.
I hope that helps?
Rebecca
Susie says
Hi Rebecca, Glad you like the cake - so easy! Also good with marmalade.
Cheers - Susie
Jean Lymer says
I have made this cake twice. The second time reduced the cooking time to 2hr20mins. Cake is delicious but both cakes were very crumbly. Not sure where Imhave gone wrong. Adice please.
Susie says
Hi Jean,
I'm guessing you mean 1hr 20mins? The cooking time probably isn't the issue if it's still crumbly.
It could be that the mixture is too dry or not thoroughly mixed. Check that your eggs are large ones - they should weight 63-72g each in the shell. If they aren't big enough, add some extra milk. Also, I am quite generous with the jam, so if you've been skimping there, add a bit more.
Hope that helps - let me know how it goes.
Cheers - Susie
Jean Lymer says
Hi Susie, yes I meant 1h20. Thanks fir the advice, I will certainly be more generous with the jam, and add extra milk. The cake is delicious in any event.
Emma says
Having just made this and eaten two slices whilst waiting for the cake to cool! Delicious! I didn't have a 2lb tin used a 1lb and just halved everything including time turned out perfect. I also used marmalade and only had raisins and cranberries to hand. Think next time I would definitely add some lemon peel. Will use this recipe again thankyou 🙂
Susie says
Hi Emma,
Glad you like the cake. One of its appeals for me is that you can use whatever you have in the cupboard, and it can be different every time!
Cheers - Susie
Denise Bryan says
My loaf looked pretty much like your picture. However it was a bit on the dry side for my taste. I will give it another try with shorter cook time.
Susie says
Hi Denise. Try that. It may be that your oven runs hot - mine is a bit low. You could try an oven thermometer to check.
Cheers - Susie
Karen Symons says
i used marmalade insteadof jam and it was amazing
Susie says
Hi Karen,
Marmalade is great in cakes, it's such an easy way to add orange flavour 🙂 Glad you liked the recipe and thanks for letting me know.
Cheers - Susie
Luaa says
Just out of oven , cooling niw !
It looks Divine , first time baking a fruit cake like this , really easy recipe to follow . Hope it tastes as good as it looks..., it may be a Christmas cake if they like it ????????????
Susie says
Hi Luaa,
Hope you enjoyed the cake!
Cheers - Susie
Margaret says
Margaret
October 19 2018 at 9:15 pm
Hi Susie
This was my first attempt at making the fruit cake I put in 200g glazed cherries to 400g mixed fruit should I have put less fruit in
It turned out quite well and I was happy with it
Susie says
Hi Margaret,
For the recipe 400g is the total amount of fruit, so would include the cherries. Try one like that and see which you prefer 🙂 I'm glad the other works too.
Cheers - Susie
Vicky says
What size round tin would this suit, I am thinking about doubling the mixture as I need a 9inch size, do you think this will be enough?
Susie says
Hi Vicky,
The way to convert one tin to another is to fill the tins with water and pour it into a measuring jug to see the volume. Then you can compare.
The 2lb loaf tin I use is about 1 litre, an 8-inch round tin is about 2.5 litres and a 9-inch round tin is over 3 litres. So you need at least 3 times the mixture - probably 3.25 - depending on how deep your round tin is.
Do let me know how it works. Cheers - Susie
vicky says
Perfect thank you, I'll give it a try.
Iram Menaz says
Hi just wanted to know what spice do you use? Do you use cinamon or something else
Thankyou
Susie says
Hi Iram. I use a spice mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and coriander, but any mix you like is fine. Hope you enjoy the cake.
Cheers - Susie