Fruit and Nut Cake: Traditional and old-fashioned, rich and moist Christmas cake loaded with lots of dried fruits and nuts. A must-try cake recipe this holiday season.
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Recipe card
Christmas Fruit and Nut Cake - Holiday Special
Equipment
- Bundt Pan
Ingredients
To soak the fruits
- ⅓ cup Dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup Raisins Black or golden
- ⅓ cup Mixed peel
- ⅓ cup Dates
- 1 cup wine or apple juice or orange juice
For the cake batter
- ½ cup butter unsalted softened ( 1 stick / 8 tablespoon at room temperature)
- ½ cup Oil
- 1 ¼ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Molasses
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 tablespoon Orange zest
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon optional
- ½ teaspoon Allspice optional
- 3 Eggs
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- ¼ cup Orange juice
- ½ cup Almonds roasted
- ½ cup Cashews or walnut roasted
Instructions
Soaking the dried fruits
Traditional soaking
- Mix the cranberries, raisins, peel, and dates one week before baking. Pour 1 cup of wine. Cover it and refrigerate.⅓ cup Dried cranberries, ⅓ cup Raisins, ⅓ cup Mixed peel, ⅓ cup Dates, 1 cup wine
Fast soaking
- Mix the cranberries, raisins, peel, and dates with wine or juice in microwave-safe containers. Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes or until it becomes hot.
- Cover and set aside for 1-2 hours.
- You can also soak them overnight in a refrigerator.
Make the Christmas cake batter
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease bundt pan or 8 or 9-inch cake pan with butter and keep it aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until it becomes smooth and creamy.½ cup butter unsalted, 1 ¼ cup Sugar
- Add oil and molasses and beat until combined.½ cup Oil, ¼ cup Molasses
- Add baking powder, orange zest, vanilla extract, salt, and spices, and mix until combined.1 teaspoon Baking powder, 1 tablespoon Orange zest, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Allspice
- Add egg one at a time and beat until incorporated.3 Eggs
- Add flour and mix. Do not overmix.2 cups All purpose flour
- Add the soaked fruit mix along with the liquid, orange juice, and dried fruits and fold.¼ cup Orange juice, ½ cup Almonds, ½ cup Cashews or walnut
- Pour the batter into a lightly greased pan.
- Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until it's done. The knife inserted should come out clean. Baking time may vary depending on the size of your pan and your oven.
- Let it cool down for at least 10 - 20 minutes, even before you flip from the pan.
- Once the cake cools completely, slice it, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
- I have used Moscato wine in my recipe.
- You can brush them with a liqueur of your choice just before serving.
- Once it cools down completely, wrap them in foil or store them in a sealed container.
- Use candied fruits of your choice - raisins, currants, apricots, citrus peels, candied fruits, cherries; dates are some options.
Nutrition
Best Christmas Cake
I have already shared a recipe for vegan and eggless Christmas cake and a classic and moist Christmas rum cake.
This is an easy and old-fashioned version of a holiday cake recipe baked in a bundt pan. The dry fruits are soaked in wine for about a week before preparing this cake. This way, you can enjoy a burst of holiday flavors with every bite of the cake. I have also shared a quick soak method for dry fruits.
This Christmas cake recipe is a very flexible one. Use dried fruits, nuts, and spices that your family loves. You can also give this form of gift to your family and friends.
Check out Christmas dinner recipes and Christmas dessert recipes.
Ingredients
Candied fruits: raisins, currants, apricots, citrus peels, candied fruits, cherries, dates are some options.
Liquid for soaking: You can soak them in wine, rum, or brandy, or for an alcohol-free version, use apple juice or orange juice.
Nuts: Cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans- use any nut of your choice. It adds a good crunch.
Spices: These are optional but add cozy and warm flavor.
Butter: Makes your cake rich.
Sugar: The cake's color depends on the sugar type used. White, light brown, or dark golden brown.
Step-by-step instructions
Soaking the dried fruits: Traditional soaking
Mix the cranberries, raisins, peel, and dates one week before baking. Pour 1 cup of wine. Cover it and refrigerate.
Fast soaking
- Mix the cranberries, raisins, peel, and dates with wine or juice in microwave-safe containers. Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes or until it becomes hot.
- Cover and set aside for 1-2 hours.
- You can also soak them overnight in a refrigerator.
Make the Christmas cake batter
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease bundt pan or 8 or 9-inch cake pan with butter and keep it aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until it becomes smooth and creamy.
- Add oil and molasses and beat until combined.
- Add baking powder, orange zest, vanilla extract, salt, and spices, and mix until combined.
- Add egg one at a time and beat until incorporated.
- Add flour and mix. Do not overmix.
- Add the soaked fruit mix along with the liquid, orange juice, and dried fruits and fold.
- Pour the batter into a lightly greased pan.
- Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until it's done. The knife inserted should come out clean. Baking time may vary depending on the size of your pan and your oven.
- Let it cool down for at least 10 - 20 minutes, even before you flip from the pan.
- Once the cake cools completely, slice it, serve it, and enjoy it.
Tips
- I have used Moscato wine in my recipe.
- You can brush them with a liqueur of your choice just before serving.
- Once it cools down completely, wrap them in foil or store them in a sealed container.
- Use candied fruits of your choice - raisins, currants, apricots, citrus peels, candied fruits, cherries; dates are some options.
Store and Freeze
- You can wrap the cake in aluminum foil and store it in an airtight container at room temperature for a week or in a refrigerator for two months.
- You can also freeze them for up to six months.
More cake recipes
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Note: We originally posted this old-fashioned Christmas fruit and nut cake recipe in Oct 2015. It has now been modified in Dec 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
Bindu
What we can used instead of wine
Kushi
You can simply skip wine. If you want you can pre-soak dried fruits in grape/apple juice.
komal
great receipe mam
just want to knw what is molasses
nd is there any substitution of eggs.
Kushi
Thank you Komal. It's a viscous by product of sugarcane. If it is difficult to find replace it with honey or increase the amount of brown sugar. I have not tried substituting egg in this recipe but generally when I do a eggless version, I increase baking powder and milk and add mashed banana. Let me know if you need any help.