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.
John says
Lovely yummy cake, very easy to prepare, bake and enjoy. Great recipe thanks.
Susie Collings says
Hi John, So pleased you like the cake 🙂 Easy and yummy is what I'm aiming for! And we need a bit of a treat right now. Cheers - Susie
Phil Wharfe says
Have made this fruit cake 5 times now and always turns out very well. For my 5th cake I soaked the mixed fruit in orange juice over night and also added 4oz of chopped mixed nuts to the recipe. The mixture was more moist so I cooked for an extra 15 mins in a fan oven - did cover the top with a sheet of foil for the last 30 mins. Fantastic moist cake.
Susie Collings says
Hi Phil, My favourite thing about this cake is changing the fruit and nut mix. Soaking the fruit gives an extra flavour to it as well. Good point about covering the top if you're extending the cooking time - I'll add that in. Cheers - Susie
Michael Hadfield says
Thank you for sharing this delicious cake recipe. I have made this cake twice and both times it has been perfect, it has become a favourite in my household.
Top marks 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Caroline says
I made this yesterday and have to say it was the easiest and best tasting fruit cake I have ever made. I adapted it slightly by adding dried Pineapple & Mango to the Sultanas and soaking in Earl Grey Tea. Throughly recommended
Susie Collings says
Hi Caroline, That sounds a delicious combination 🙂 I have some crystallised pinapple left over from Christmas that will go in my next cake! Cheers - Susie
Susie Collings says
Hi Michael, So pleased you like the cake - easy and delicious is what we're aiming for! And thanks for letting me know 🙂 Cheers - Susie
Emily says
Do you need to soak the fruit beforehand?
Susie Collings says
Not for this cake. Just mix the fruit in - Susie
Caroline ford says
This cake was absolutely brilliant so easy Caroline
Susie Collings says
Hi Caroline, So pleased you like the cake - and thanks for letting me know 🙂 Susie.
Joanna Parish says
I have a new breadmaker which cooks fruit cake , do you think this recipe would work ? Thanks Joanna
Susie Collings says
Hi Joanna, It's hard to say exactly how the recipe would work in your breadmaker as they are all different (and my breadmaker is too old for cake - it makes nice Hot Cross Bun dough though).
Some models mix and cook the ingredients and some just cook the cake. I see that some models say to look at the cake once it's finished cooking and see if it needs putting on again, so there's some control there.
I'm inclined to say try it and see - but keep an eye on cooking time and see if your breadmaker has any special instructions. The only other thing I don't know about is how much baking powder you might need.
Hope that helps. I feel you need to find someone who's tried it really.
Cheers - Susie
Andy says
I made this cake. Absolutely gorgeus. I added glace cherries and dried apricots to mine.
Susie Collings says
Hi Andy - Cherries every time! And apricots give it suce a lovely colour. Glad you like it. Cheers - Susie
Izabela Grabowska says
Hi
You probably had this question before; What do you mean when you use “ml” with the mixed spice? I want to make your mixed spice but don’t know how to convert that into grams or teaspoon... help please I really would like to make the fruit cake.
Susie Collings says
Hi Izabela. I have updated the recipe for the spices, so you should be ok.
FYI, the equivalents are:
1 teaspoon = 5ml
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
These are level measures, so the ingredient is level with the top of the spoon.
Hope this helps.
Cheers - Susie
Lisa says
Hi, I made this for my elderly parents as they love fruit cake. Followed the recipe and it turned out perfectly. Added demerara sugar to the top of the cake before cooking to add a nice crunch. Great recipe - will definitely be making this cake again 🙂
Susie Collings says
Hi Lisa. Glad you and yourparents enjoyed the cake. It was one of my dad's favourites 🙂 Cheers - Susie
Jan says
Hi I made this cake it turns out perfectly all the time, everyone loves it. I've also frozen one over Christmas, u can't taste the difference once it was defrosted. I have made it about 6 times now. Thankyou I only use this recipe. Its a favourite in our house, even better than the shops xx
Susie Collings says
Hi Jan, So pleased your family like this cake. And thank you for letting me know 🙂 It gets even easier the more often you make it, so you must be an expert by now! Cheers - Susie
Karen Kennedy says
Having finished our Christmas cake, I was looking for a recipe to make another fruit cake to use up the fruits I had left from that, but without orange rind, brandy etc, and found this one. What a great recipe it is, so quick to prepare, and came out really moist, I did put 100 g of glace cherries in as we love them, and a mix of golden and muscatel sultanas. I also put whole walnut halves on the top before baking, and came out really nice, going to try it with pecans next. Thanks for a great recipe.
Susie says
Hi Karen, Thanks for your comments. So pleased you like the recipe. It's always great to hear what people put in it. Nuts on top is a nice idea! Cheers - Susie
Julie Barnes says
My daughter and I were baking on the Sunday before Christmas and decided to make a fruit cake to back up the small Christmas cake I had bought. We googled a recipe and both separately found and liked this one. Unfortunately (too many cooks and all that) my daughter left me softened butter but neither of us realised until the cake was in the oven cooking that I had put double the amount in. Despite that the cake turned out well and I will make it again but with the correct amount of butter. I used a fruit mix with cranberries which was a nice variation but next time I’ll put cherries in.
Susie says
Hi Julie. I had to smile - it happens to us all, especially at such a busy time of year! I'm glad it turned out well anyway. I use different fruit all the time - usually what's in the cupboard so I don't keep anything for too long.
Cheers - Susie
Jack Lyn says
I've been looking for a good recipe to bake a light fruit cake and consider this one the best i've found: I gave it a tweak by adding cherries and walnuts, adding them with the rest of the ingredients after beating the sugar and butter together with beaten egg and milk. The allspice went in with the flour to sieve over the mixture, then i put it in a pre-warmed oven at Gas4 for an hour. A glaze of melted honey after it cooled made it look great - and taste delicious.
Thanks for the inspiration, and merry christmas!
Susie says
Hi Jack. So pleased you like the recipe. It's certainly good for tweaking - and I love the idea of a melted honey glaze.
Cheers - Susie