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Home » Cakes » Easy Light Fruit Cake

Easy Light Fruit Cake

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This Fruit Cake recipe is my new favourite. Not too rich, it is still fruity and absolutely delicious. Every time I take a bite I can't believe how wonderful it is. A perfect everyday cake that still feels like a luxurious treat. I'm proper pumped.

light fruit cake on a cake stand with a slice half removed and a cake slice underneath.

  A good fruit cake is a timeless classic and this one is definitely a keeper. Light but still fruity, it is full of all the flavours of a dark fruit cake but without the richness. I have been unable to quite understand how it does it. 

I think the secret to the depth of fruit flavour without all the treacle and trimmings, is the soaking of the sultanas in boiling water. This, I think, brings extra sultana flavour out , which then imbues the whole cake with the earthy, sweet flavour that we find in a richer fruit cake. Big pat on the back for moi.

I got the idea from all the boiled fruit cakes I have made before and loved. I wanted to still keep things super easy so thought I would try just a super hot quick soak instead. It did just the job.

Jump to:
  • Recipe Steps
  • How Long Will Light Fruit Cake Keep?
  • Baking Tips
  • More Easy Cake Recipes
  • Light Fruit Cake
light fruitcake on a cake stand with a slice pulled forward and turned to show a side view

There is a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Recipe Steps

This is a one bowl, chuck it all in and beat recipe. The absolute best kind in my book. It is also a Light Fruit Cake with no nuts or glace cherries. It is my own preference so do throw a handful in if it isn't yours.

caster sugar, butter, flour, dried fruit , eggs and mixed spice in bowls labelled with black text

Ingredients

200 grams Sultanas - I use raisins if that is what is in my cupboard

160 grams Unsalted Butter- Baking Spread is fine too

250 grams Plain Flour- You can use Self Raising too just add 1 tsp of baking powder instead of 2

2 tsp Baking Powder

250 grams Caster Sugar - refined (white) or unrefined (golden)

1 tsp Mixed Spice - Ground

1 tsp Cinnamon - Ground

 3 Eggs - medium

Step by Step Instructions

  • Preheat the oven 170 C/325 F/Gas Mark 3
  • Boil the kettle and pour 100 mls of water over the sultanas in a bowl. Line your cake tin. See Tips below for tips on how to.
blank
  • Put the butter and flour into a large mixing bowl or free standing mixer. Mix until the mixture is is crumbly. You can do this with an electric hand held mixer or free standing mixer. You can use a wooden spoon and lots of elbow grease too!
butter and flour crumbles in a mixing bowl on a white wooden surface with a bowl of raisins to the side just visible
  • Put all the other ingredients in on top, including the water from the soaked sultanas.
raisins, sugar, eggs and flour and butter in the mixing bowl on a white wooden surface
  • Beat until a little pale, about a minute.
light fruit cake batter mix in the metal mixing bowl on a white wooden surface
  • Tip the batter into your  cake tin.
light fruit cake batter in the cake tin
  • Bake for approx 1 hour.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.
baked fruit cake still in it's tin on a tea towel on a white wooden surface

How Long Will Light Fruit Cake Keep?

I store my cakes under a cake dome or in air tight Tupperware. It will keep very well for about four days.

It freezes well too. When the cake is completely cool, simply double wrap with cling film and then silver foil and place in a freezer bag or stout container to freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Keep the cakes wrapped to thaw. Don't forget to mark the dates frozen on your cakes.

Baking Tips

  • Use different spices to suit your personal tastes. You could use 2 tsp of mixed spice instead of the 1 tsp of mixed spice and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Nutmeg would be another great alternative.
  • Sometimes the raisins sink mostly to the bottom. I don't mind at all as I don't want to change the moistness of the cake in a bid to hold them up higher in the batter.
  • Use an 8 " loose bottomed or spring form release cake tin. Make sure your cake tin is at least 7 cm deep to allow the cake to rise.
  • I use reusable Bake-O-Glide to line my cake tins but baking parchment is fine too. see here - How to line your cake tin with baking parchment.
  • I have made this cake with baking spread/Flora too. It was perfect.
  • Add any mixed dried fruit that you prefer. Glace Cherries and Dried Peel would be good options. Keep the weight of it all still at 200 grams though.
  • To make this cake gluten free then use gluten free flour such as Doves Gluten Free Plain Flour. Add an extra splash of milk to the batter as gluten free flour can sometimes absorb more liquid.
  • To make this cake with self raising flour then just omit 1 tsp of the baking powder from the recipe.
  • Try not to overbake.
  • Use an independent oven thermometer if you can to make sure you can keep track of your oven temperature. They can vary enormously!

More Easy Cake Recipes

Rich Fruit Cake

Easy Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Victoria Sponge Cake

Coffee and Walnut Cake

vicoria sponge cake with a slice of cake on a plate with a cake fork
Victoria Sponge
light fruit cake

Light Fruit Cake

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This very easy Light Fruit Cake recipe is full of juicy sultanas and lightly spiced. Although an everyday cake it is so delicious it feels like a special treat with every slice.
4.20 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
0 minutes mins
Course cake, snacks
Cuisine English
Servings 10
Calories 393 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 200 grams sultanas
  • 100 mls just boiled water
  • 250 grams plain flour
  • 160 grams butter
  • 250 grams caster sugar
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 170 C/325 F/Gas Mark 3. Line your 8 " loose bottomed or spring release cake tin with reusable liners or baking parchment.
  • Boil your kettle and measure 100 mls into a measuring jug. Make sure it is only 100 mls, it is easy to overfill a measuring jug level!
  • Put 200 grams of sultanas in a small, but big enough to hold the sultanas and water, bowl and carefully pour over the boiled water. Set aside to cool.
  • Put the 160 grams of butter, 2 tsp of baking powder and 250 grams of flour into your mixing bowl and mix until it forms shaggy lumps. You can do this in a free standing mixer, with a electric hand held whisk or wooden spoon and mixing bowl.
  • Once the sultanas have cooled a little then put them into the bowl along with 250 grams of sugar,1 tsp of mixed spice, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 3 eggs.
  • Mix until the mixture pales slightly.
  • Place your batter into your cake tin and level the batter.
  • Bake for about 50 minutes-1 hour or until the cake is golden and a cake skewer/cocktail stick comes out of your cake clean. Start checking your cake at 50 minutes as some ovens bake hotter and quicker. I sometimes turn the oven temperature down at 45 minutes or so if the top starts to get too brown.
  • Apply To New Fruity Favourite Face.

Video

Notes

  • Use different spices to suit your personal tastes. You could use 2 tsp of mixed spice instead of the 1 tsp of mixed spice and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Nutmeg would be another great alternative.
  • Use an 8 " loose bottomed or spring form release cake tin. Make sure your cake tin is at least 7 cm deep to allow the cake to rise.
  • I use reusable Bake-O-Glide to line my cake tins but baking parchment is fine too.I have made this cake with baking spread/Flora too. It was perfect.
  • Add any mixed dried fruit that you prefer. Glace Cherries and Dried Peel would be good options. Keep the weight of it all still at 200 grams though.
  • To make this cake gluten free then use gluten free flour. Add an extra splash of milk to the batter as gluten free flour can sometimes absorb more liquid.
  • To make this cake with self raising flour then just omit the baking powder from the recipe.
  • Try not to overbake.
  • Use an independent oven thermometer if you can to make sure you can keep track of your oven temperature. They can vary enormously!

Nutrition

Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 471IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg

All nutritional information is approximate and intended only as a guide.

Keyword easy cakes, fruit cake, light fruit cake
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Comments

  1. Cat | Curly's Cooking

    June 21, 2020 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    I made this cake for my Dad for Father's Day. He loves a fruit cake so I knew I had to make him this cake as soon as I saw it. I use half sultanas and half cherries. He said it was really delicious. Thank you for a lovely recipe x

    Reply
    • Jenny

      June 25, 2020 at 2:21 pm

      It never crossed my mind that it would be a Fathers day cake but quite a few were baked as gifts! Love it and love the fact that you took the time to say. Thanks Cat x

      Reply
  2. Di Horne

    July 21, 2022 at 1:53 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for this lovely recipe. Easy bake and delicious.Omitted the sugar sprinkle on top.Would definitely bake this cake again.

    Reply
    • Jenny

      August 01, 2022 at 8:41 pm

      Oh brilliant! I really, really love it too. It's got the most lovely flavour I think. Thanks so much for letting me know x

      Reply
  3. Amy

    April 19, 2023 at 9:19 pm

    I'm baking a 90th birthday cake for a friend who loves fruit cake, so I'm going to try this recipe. do you think it could be decorated with buttercream to make a semi-naked cake with a dark chocolate drop?! or is fruit cake and buttercream really weird?! how would you decorate it for a birthday? thanks!

    Reply
    • Jenny

      April 30, 2023 at 7:25 am

      Hi there, I'm thinking to speak frankly, yes it might not work. I would suggest you stick to maybe more of an old fashioned glazed top decorated with fruit and nuts like Almonds, glace cherries, dried apricots if you get my drift? Hope that helps.

      Reply
4.20 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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Hi, I'm Jenny Walters. A mother of two and passionate filler of bellies with stress free, simple and delicious recipes that gladden the soul. I am at heart a home cook.

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