Description
This Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake is a festive, rich dessert loaded with mixed dried fruits, nuts, and candied cherries. Featuring a moist, buttery crumb, it’s perfect for holiday celebrations and brings a classic touch to your dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Fruit and Nuts
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit (chopped cherries, pineapple, apricots, etc.)
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
- ¼ cup candied green cherries, halved
- ¼ cup candied red cherries, halved
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a loaf pan or a small bundt pan to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside to combine the leavening agents evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to emulsify the batter. Stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Fold in Nuts and Fruit: Gently fold in the mixed dried fruit and chopped nuts until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Decorate and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Arrange the halved red and green candied cherries on top for a festive finish.
- Bake the Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully baked.
- Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easier creaming with sugar.
- Sifting the dry ingredients helps with even distribution of leavening agents.
- Do not overmix batter after adding the flour to prevent a dense cake.
- Check cake doneness with a toothpick after 70 minutes to avoid overbaking.
- For best flavor, store the cake wrapped tightly in an airtight container; it can improve after a day or two.
