Everyday Fruit Cake

4.47 from 258 votes

This Everyday Fruit Cake is baked in a loaf tin and is almost apologetically easy. Just weigh, stir and cook. The cake uses the all-in-one method and is suitable for food processors, stand mixer or hand-mixer.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 45

Total Time2 5

Course: Cakes and biscuits

Cuisine: British

Servings: slices

Calories: 296kcal

Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary

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)

Equipment

2lb loaf tin

Baking parchment loaf tin liner

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 fruit
400 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.

Storage:

This fruit cake will keep in the fridge for at least a week. It also freezes well.

Ensuring a moist cake:

If your cakes turn out dry, it's probably because of the bake temperature or time. Check out Why is My Cake Dry? for reasons and solutions.

Nutrition