Heavenly Moist Fruitcake
Heavenly Moist Fruitcake is a soft, tender loaf cake made with butter, orange juice, warm spices, dried fruit, and nuts. This classic fruitcake is flavorful without being heavy, making it perfect for holidays, gifting, or cozy afternoons with tea or coffee.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit raisins, currants, chopped apricots, etc.
- ½ cup chopped nuts walnuts or pecans
- ½ cup orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Gently fold in the dried fruit and chopped nuts.
- Stir in the orange juice until batter is smooth and evenly mixed.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 60–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use fresh, plump dried fruit for the best texture and flavor.
- Toss dried fruit lightly in flour before folding in to prevent sinking.
- Wrap the cooled fruitcake tightly and let it rest overnight to deepen flavor.
- Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freeze whole or sliced fruitcake for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before serving.