If I’m not making my super easy-boiled fruit cake with stout and I want to go all the way, I make my all-time favourite fruit cake with loads of fruit and nuts. I especially love whole cherries in a fruit cake. It makes me feel like I’ve hit the cake jackpot. I also believe that fruit cake is not only there for Christmas or other special celebrations. It’s my favourite kind of cake for any tea time.

my grandmothers neverfail boiled fruit cake

For convenience, this recipe doesn’t require the fruit to be boiled in advance and it works equally well with roasted or raw nuts. You will need a total of 200 g of whatever nuts you enjoy. I use cashews, Brazils and hazelnuts. The cake itself is light in colour which I prefer, and overall it’s super moist but with the required density. You can of course ice it, but I like to serve it naked with a light dusting of icing sugar and fresh fruit such as figs piled on top.

The double lining of the cake tin is important because this cake is in the oven for so long.

This recipe and image come from my second cookbook ‘sweet which was published by Penguin Random House in 2015. I was honoured that my book won a Gourmand Cookbook award in the national competition under the pastry category and went on to be a finalist in the World Cookbook competition.

A step-by-step guide to storing and preserving a Christmas fruit cake:

Cool the Cake

Allow the freshly baked fruit cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

Wrap with Plastic Wrap

Wrap the cake tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Make sure all sides are well-covered.

Sprinkle with Brandy

Unwrap one section and sprinkle a few tablespoons of brandy over the top, letting it absorb. Rewrap tightly, ensuring no air is trapped inside.

Alternatively, wrap in Cheesecloth or Muslin

Soak 2 layers of cheesecloth or muslin in brandy, making sure it’s thoroughly saturated.

Wrap the Cake in Cheesecloth

Wrap the entire cake in the brandy-soaked cheesecloth, ensuring all sides are covered. This layer keeps the cake moist and infuses it with flavour.

Wrap with Foil

Over the cheesecloth layer, wrap the cake securely in aluminium foil.

Store in an Airtight Container

Place the wrapped cake in an airtight container to protect it from air and light. Store it in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cake tin.

Feed the Cake

Every two weeks, “feed” the cake by unwrapping it, adding a few tablespoons of brandy over the cheesecloth, and then rewrapping it. This will keep the cake moist and enhance the flavour over time.

You might also like these Fruit cake recipes:

Easy stout fruit cake with cherries

My ultimate indulgent fruitcake recipe

The best fruit cupcakes with spiced vanilla buttercream

An easy and classic Madeira cake with fruit

My best Christmas recipes

Recipe – makes 1 large cake

Prep Time:20

Cook Time:3

Ingredients

230 grams golden sultanas or raisins or both
150 grams candied pineapple coarsely chopped
100 grams candied orange peel coarsely chopped
50 grams crystallised ginger chopped
230 grams whole cherries
50 grams whole almonds toasted
50 grams Brazil nuts
50 grams cashews or pistachios
50 grams hazelnuts (skins removed) toasted
230 grams cake flour sifted
230 grams castor sugar
230 grams butter room temperature
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
zest and juice of 1/2 orange
4 large free-range eggs
a pinch of salt
60 ml brandy plus extra for sprinkling

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 140 °C. Double-line a 20-cm round cake tin with baking paper.
In a bowl, combine all the fruit and nuts with a little of the flour to prevent them from sticking together.
Cream the castor sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, then mix in the zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition. Add the remaining flour and salt. Stir in the fruit and nuts, lemon and orange juice, and brandy.
Bake for 2 & 3/4–3 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. When cool, turn the cake out and sprinkle with brandy. Wrap tightly in aluminium foil and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Notes

Fruit cake can be stored for months if correctly stored.

See the instructions above on how to properly preserve a fruit cake.

Servings: 1 large cake

Author: Sam Linsell

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Take a look back in time:

1 year ago – espresso chocolate chip cookies

2 years ago – caramelised pear and gorgonzola toasties

3 years ago – red wine roast chicken

4 years ago – ‘pizza’ jaffles

5 years ago – coconut & lime ice cream (vegan)

6 years ago – smoked red pepper flatbread with roast beetroot, zucchini and goats cheese

7 years ago – seared salmon with orange, teriyaki & ginger

7 Comments

I love fruit cake. As I am the only one that eats it in our house, my waist line can’t afford it.

Hi! Whats the quantity of zest n juice of lemon n orange? Cos there’s a typo there….theres a question mark…shud there b a slash instead? Does it mean 1/2? Also what can v tetotallers use instead of brandy? Pls do reply…

Hi Faiza – its zest and juice of half a lemon and orange (Ive fixed the recipe). Im not too sure what replacement for brandy – I would just say eat it soon after its been made – (up to 2 weeks and keep it well wrapped and sealed) It will be fine. The brandy acts as a preserving agent if you are keeping it for months.

I made this cake a few years ago, made 2. One with flour and one with almond flour and xilithol, being low carb. The lowcarb tasted nicer than the regular one, I would say due to the almond flour. Of course the candied fruits did lift the carb content but of course it’s Christmas and those extra carbs were just ok! Seached a while to get the recipe again, saved on Pinterest. Best fruit cake ever! My daughter sent me the recipe back then after she made it for us. Thanks for sharing!
Side note: please take a look at the post, the “Print the Recipe” doesn’t print the recipe. I tested on another recipe of yours, and that one worked. You may want to fix it … 🤷🏼‍♀️.
Merry Christmas 🎄 2024

Hi Irene, I am unsure why this is the case as it works on my side. Its something I cannot control as its a third party plugin. Apologies for the inconvenience.