Candied Fruit Cake (Moist, Easy Loaf + Holiday Favorite!)
CANDIED FRUIT CAKE is a buttery loaf cake filled with candied fruit and raisins, and glazed with shiny apricot. It’s tender, sliceable and great with a cup of coffee or tea.
Texture is the name of the game in this loaf: soft crumb, zingy pops of candied fruit and a gentle citrus note from orange juice. The apricot glaze not only maintains shine on top, but also seals in moisture.
It also makes for a fantastic make-ahead bake. Its flavor only improves after a couple of hours, and it cuts beautifully for sharing.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Lush, fruity flavor with every bite
- Moist, tender crumb (not dry)
- Bake in a loaf pan, EASY simple steps to follow
- Perfect for holidays, weekend brunch or gift giving
- Remains tasty for days and freezes beautifully
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
-Plain/All-purpose flour 2 3/4cups (350g)
Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
Baking powder: 2 ish tsp (8 g)
Salt: a pinch
Fruit mix-ins
Candied fruits in small dice: about 1 1/3 cups (200 g)
Candied fruit crumbs: 2/3 cup (100g)
corinthian raisins: about 1/2 cup (60 g)
Wet ingredients
*Butter (softened): 13½ tbsp (190 g)
Granulated sugar: up to 3/4 cup (150 g)
Eggs: 4
Milk: approx 3 tbsp(50 ml)
Orange juice: 2 tsp (40 ml)
Vanilla sugar: 2 tsp (8g)
Topping / glaze
Apricot glaze: 2 tablespoons (40 g)
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Butter: Allow it to soften enough that it will cream well with the sugar. If the batter is too cold, you might see a lumpy, textured surface.
- Vanilla sugar: if you don’t have it, then 1-2tsp vanilla extract and the rest of them will be like this.
- Candied fruits: Mix or match mixed peel, cherries, citron. If the pieces are large, chop them so your slices will cut cleanly.
- 6.Raisins: A short soak in warm water will plump these beauties and keep the cake moist.
- Apricot glaze: Heat it gently to make a good brushing consistency; it also will help keep the top shiny.
How to Make CANDIED FRUIT CAKE
- Prep the raisins. Put the Corinthian raisins in a bowl and add warm water for 10-15 minutes. Drain well and pat dry.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt.
- Coat the candied fruit. Add the small diced candied fruits and fruit pieces to the flour mixture, then toss them with a spoon so they’re lightly coated (it helps prevent sinking in the batter).
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, blending after each.
- Add liquids. Add milk, orange juice and vanilla sugar and combine.
- Combine wet + dry. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until there’s no more dry flour. If necessary, do a gentle fold to prevent overmixing.
- Add raisins. Stir in the raisins (drained) until well mixed.
- Fill the pan. Drop the batter into a lined loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake. Bake until the loaf is deep golden and a toothpick inserted in middle emerges clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and glaze. Cool the cake, warm the apricot glaze and brush over the top.
Expert Tips
- Dredge the candied fruit in flour first, so it won’t sink to the bottom.
- Do not overmix after adding flour; overmixing can lead to a dense loaf.
- Eggs at room temperature combine better, and help to keep the batter uniform.
- Drain and dry them out as well as you can so you don’t get any additional water in the mix.
- Test for doneness from the center of the loaf, not its edges.
- Cool before glazing so that the glaze doesn’t absorb into the crust.
- To get clean slices, allow the loaf to rest at least 1-2 hours before slicing.
Storage & Freezing
- At room temperature: Packed airtight, 3–4 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days (let come to room temperature before serving for best texture).
- Freezer: Wrap slices (or the whole loaf) in saran wrap + foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thawing: Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temp for 1-2 hours. Glaze is re-brushed lightly if required.
Variations
- Add the finely grated zest of an orange for citrus aroma.
- Exchange a portion of the orange juice for lemon juice to make the flavor sharper.
- Why not try with a mixture of raisins and dried cranberries?
- Include warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Brush with warm glaze then garnish the top with more chopped candied fruit.
CANDIED FRUIT CAKE
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Place the Corinthian raisins in a bowl, cover with warm water for 10–15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
- Add the small diced candied fruits and candied fruit pieces to the flour mixture and stir to coat.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until lighter and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Mix in milk, orange juice, and vanilla sugar until combined.
- Add the dry mixture and mix just until no dry flour remains.
- Stir in the drained raisins.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (about 45–60 minutes).
- Cool in the pan 10–15 minutes, then remove and cool on a rack.
- Warm the apricot glaze slightly and brush over the top before slicing.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Coating the candied fruit in flour helps prevent sinking.
- Don’t overmix after adding flour to keep the crumb tender.
- Apricot glaze brushes best when slightly warm.
- Optional flavor boost: add orange zest to the batter.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs
If the pieces are too big, or if batter has been over mixed or is thin, the cake can sink. Chop big pieces and coat all fruit in flour before adding.
Yes. It cuts best after it cools completely, and the flavor deepens after a few hours.
Yes, any old raisins will do. Keep the same amount.
Toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the top should be golden.
Yes, but bake time changes. Smaller pans cook more quickly; larger ones, more slowly.
No, but it gives shine and helps keep the cake moist. You can omit it, or brush with a warm jam such as apricot.
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Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
