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.
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.
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There is a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Method
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.
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
2 Eggs - medium
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven 170 C/325 F/Gas Mark 3
- Boil the kettle and pour 100 ml of water over the sultanas in a bowl.
- Line your 8" loose bottomed cake tin. See Tips below for tips on how to, it is a particularly fiddly business if you don't use reusable liners.
- Put the 160 grams butter and 250 grams flour into a large mixing bowl or free standing mixer.
- Mix until the mixture 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, spoiler...I would lose the will to ever smile again at this point.
- Put 2 eggs, 25o grams sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon & 1 tsp mixed spice into the bowl but not the sultanas.
- Beat for about a minute.
- Tip in the sultanas and any remaining sultana water
- Mix well in with a wooden spoon
- Scoop it all into the cake tin and level.
- Bake for approx 1 hour . Check it's baked by inserting a cocktail stick and making sure it comes out clean. A tedious method but very effective if you happen to have the things. If not a knife will suffice.
- Leave to cool in the tin.
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
- Victoria Sponge Traybake
Light Fruit Cake
Ingredients
- 200 grams sultanas
- 100 mls just boiled water
- 250 grams plain flour
- 160 grams butter
- 250 grams caster sugar
- 2 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.
- Then put 250 grams of sugar,1 tsp of mixed spice, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 2 eggs in and mix well for about a minute.Add the sultanas and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- 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
All nutritional information is approximate and intended only as a guide.
Do let me know how you got on in the comments below, join me on my social media and/or subscribe to this blog. I would love to connect with you x
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
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
Jenny says
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
Di Horne says
Thank you for this lovely recipe. Easy bake and delicious.Omitted the sugar sprinkle on top.Would definitely bake this cake again.
Jenny says
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
Amy says
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!
Jenny says
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.
Margaret Wilson says
Really delicious, great flavour! My husband said it was the best cake I'd ever made, and that after not cooking it long enough the first time so that the middle sank in. It was gone within 3 days, visitors enjoyed it too, so I've just made another one. Easy recipe which is always good. Thank you!
Jenny says
Oh I'm so pleased it is simply delicious! Thank you so much for letting me know x