Never Fail Fruit Cake (Old-Fashioned Style)
This traditional fruit cake is rich, moist, and packed with dried fruits, pecans, molasses, and orange juice. It's an easy-to-make holiday classic that never disappoints. Perfect for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or gifting to loved ones.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 32 oz mixed dried fruit raisins, cherries, pineapple, etc.
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup softened butter
- ¼ cup molasses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in mixed dried fruit and pecans, coating well with dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Mix in orange juice, butter, and molasses.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and stir gently until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Wrap cooled cake in parchment and store in an airtight container for best texture.
- Soak dried fruit in orange juice overnight for extra moistness.
- Add spices like cinnamon or nutmeg for a warmer flavor.
- Freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before serving.