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.
Tim says
Made a couple know ,pleased with the results excellent easy recipe thankyou
Larry says
1 add glace cherries to mine, have now made this recipe several times.
Susie Collings says
Great 🙂 Thanks.
morfuddhaggas@yahoo.co.uk says
Advice please wanting to bake fruit loaf in 1 x 2lb and 2 x 1lb loaf tins
at the same time
Susie Collings says
See Easy Christmas Loaf Cake for making two 1lb cakes.
Eve says
Wonderful cake, tastes delicious and moist,,, so easy,, I’m going up upscale this to a larger cake and use as a Xmas cake,, won’t need to feed or make ages in advance then…
Louise says
Could you tell me cooking times/temperature in an aga please
Susie Collings says
So pleased you like it. Hope you enjoyed the Christmas Cake.
Jazzmin says
Such a yummy cake made a few times always moist .THANK YOU FOR THE LOVELY RECIPE. X
Susie Collings says
You're welcome 🙂
Laura says
I made this for an elderly gentleman who said it was the best fruit cake he had ever had. I have another in the oven right now ready to give him another. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
Susie Collings says
Hi Laura, How kind of you - and what a lovely compliment from him 🙂 Thank you
Marie allen says
Hi susie, what attachment do I use on my electric mixer to make this lovely fruit cake please.
Susie Collings says
Hi Marie, I use the beaters on my hand mixer or the K-beater on my stand mixer (so the standard beater).
I do mix the fruit in by hand.
Denise Biggs says
Absolutely brill cake made 2 for the nurses at my dialysis unit and they all loved it. I used apricot jam and mixed fruit. With added cherry’s and was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Susie Collings says
Hi Denise, What a kind thought 🙂 If the dialysis is for you - stay strong and keep well x
nicola says
First fruit cake i have made as I needed to make a birthday cake, and it was fantastic, so i will be making this one again
thank you
Susie Collings says
Hi Nicola - That's great. I'm so pleased you like it 🙂
Claire says
Hi,
Can you make this with caster sugar, please?
Thank you.
Susie Collings says
You can. The texture will be slightly different and the colour a little lighter.
Aud says
I am definitely not a baker of any kind but love fruit cake. Decided to find an easy fruit cake recipe so I could have a go to see if it was as easy as stated.
I’m so pleased I found this one, I have made at least 6 and they have all came out really well. I now soak the fruit overnight in Amaretto which I find gives the cake that little bit of a difference.
Chris Anscombe says
Wonder if you can help. I soaked my fruit in three teaspoons of Ameretto overnight and the cake was a little under after 1 hr 15 mins.
Did you reduce the milk to compensate for the extra liquid? Thank you
Susie Collings says
Hi Chris, If you didn't add any of the soaking liquid left over, you don't need to reduce the milk.
Susie Collings says
Hi Aud. Amaretto sounds good 🙂 I'm pleased you like the cake