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.
Diain Phillips says
I have just taken up baking and used this recipe today, I did soak the fruit in orange juice and added some peel. It turned out absolutely wonderful.
Susie says
Hi Diain - Glad you like the cake - soaking the fruit is always a good idea. So good that your baking is successful. It is so worth the effort!
alan says
made this yesterday and it's great. very pleased indeed.cooked it for 1 hr 20 mins
Susie says
Hi Alan. So pleased you like the cake. 🙂
Cheers - Susie
Lindsay says
Made your fruit cake yesterday and It's the best recipe ive tried so far and so easy .
I'm going to make my Christmas cake like this one
Thanks x
Susie says
Hi Lindsay,
Glad you like the cake 🙂 - Cheers, Susie
John says
Made this cake for the churches meal now they want more lol
Susie says
The reward for doing good work is the opportunity to do more ???? So glad the liked it.
Pat Davis says
Hi Susie
My family absolutely love this cake and it is so easy to make.
Please can you advise if it would make a good traybake?
Thank you once again.
Pauline Mines says
Oh my goodness this cake is gorgeous! I put all the fruit and soaked
Them in brandy for two hours having washed the cherries first I also used 150ml's of buttermilk and one large tablespoon of raspberry jam and cooked it for 1hr 25mins, the smell was amazing. Mine didn't crumble as others have but the colour wasn't golden as shown in the picture but more darker not sure why. Who cares the taste was wonderful and will definitely cook again. Thank you.
Susie Collings says
Hi Pauline, Sounds delicious - especially in brandy. The colour will vary depending on what sort of sugar and jam you use. As you say, the taste is what matters 🙂
Paul says
Very very nice. Followed the recipe exactly and left it in the oven for 1hr 25. Perfect with a nice cup of Yorkshire tea. Milk first of course!????
Nikki says
Best fruit cake ever. So quick and easy to make and full of flavour. I have to make one every week now for my husband ????
Susie says
Haha - ditto! This is my husband's favourite too.
Cheers - Susie
Paula weller says
I have made this cake twice now, I absolutely love it , and it is a great hit with my mum and dad too, I also put chopped nuts and chocolate drops in mine , still adding up to 400g , oh also chopped dates and apricots, so moist and moorish, I'm going to try adding less sugar next time though.. Thank you it's a fab cake went down well at my cake sale last week.
Susie says
Hi Paula,
Glad you like the cake. So many different options to try! I haven't tried chocolate drops, but now you mention it...
Let me know how you get on with less sugar.
Cheers - Susie
Lynne Waldron says
Just about to make this for the first time, my electric oven isn't fan assisted, do I bake in the middle for the same amount of time?
Thanks
Susie says
Hi Lynne,
Usually a non-fan oven will need a bit longer but you can use the timings given and test. If it isn't done, leave the cake a bit longer.
Cheers - Susie
angela says
hi Susie I was wondering do I have to put mix spice in this cake ? Thanks
Susie says
Hi Angela. The spice gives some flavour, but you definitely don't need to put it in. If you put a little in you won't taste it specifically but if there's something specific you don't like (I don't like cloves in cakes) you can make your own mixed spice - as I do in this article - or just put in a little nutmeg, say. If you just don't have any spice in the house, leave it out!
Cheers - Susie
angela carter says
Thank you Susie
Sophia says
Hi you dont say which shelf to cook it on...
Susie says
Hi Sophia,
If you have a fan oven it doesn't really matter which self you use. Otherwise, put the cake in the middle of the oven.
Cheers - Susie
AlanD says
Amazing, turned out so well! Cooked at 140 for first hour, then 150, I might cover it for last while just to have slightly less hard top, but it's fantastic!
Susie says
Hi Alan, Glad you like the cake! A butter paper on top will do the trick if you want to cover it. Cheers - Susie
Susie says
Made this yesterday. I replaced the jam with marmalade, and the cake was delicious. I must have fifty cook books with any number of fruit cake recipes, but this was by far the easiest and most moist. Definitely is going to be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you!!
Susie says
Hi Susie - Glad you like the cake and thanks for your lovely comment!
Cheers - Susie,
Richard says
Hi, thanks for the recipe and the cake was lovely. It was a bit sweet for me, if I reduced the sugar would it affect the bake in any way?
Susie says
Hi Richard, Reducing the sugar would affect the bake. Probably better to omit the jam and put more milk in - another 30ml - but the cake won't be quite the same.