Simple Christmas Fruit Cake (Boiled)

Simple christmas fruit cake on white platter.

Simple Christmas Fruit Cake (Boiled)

This Simple Christmas Fruit Cake is a delicious medley of dried fruits and warm spices infused with the sweet notes of sherry and brandy that encapsulates the true spirit of Christmas in every slice!

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine Australian

Keyword fruit cake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings serves

Calories 291kcal

Author Samantha Pickthall

Ingredients

6 cups (1kg/35.3 oz.) dried mixed fruit
150 g salted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, how to pack
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp ground clove
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sweet sherry (such as Cream Sherry or Cream Apera, not sherry cooking wine or sherry vinegar
2 large eggs, lightly whisked
2 cups (300g/10.6 oz.) all-purpose flour, scoop & leveled
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp brandy

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Fruit Mixture

Combine Ingredients: In a large pot, add dried fruit, butter, sugar, cinnamon, all spice, clove and water.
Melt Butter: Place pot over a low-medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the butter melts completely. Do not allow it to boil on this step.
Boil Fruit: Once butter has melted, increase to a high heat, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Cool Mixture: Remove from the heat and let it cool for about 1 hour until it’s only slightly warm to the touch, this is to avoid the eggs from curdling next.

Prep & Bake

Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 356ºF (180ºC) fan-forced. Grease and flour the sides of a 22cm (9-inch) round springform cake tin and line just the base with parchment paper. Set aside.
Add Liquids to Fruit: Mix in sherry and whisked eggs into the cooled fruit mixture with a wooden spoon.
Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift over flour and baking powder, and mix well until a thick batter forms, do not over-mix.
Fill Tin: Spoon batter into the greased tin and smooth out the top.
Bake Cake: Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven.
Add Brandy: Straight out of the oven and still in the tin, pour over the brandy and spread it out evenly with a pastry brush.

Cool & Store

Cool in Tin: Cover the top of the tin with foil and let the cake cool completely in the tin.
Serve or Store: Remove from the tin and serve, or store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Notes

Store: Cooled fruit cake in an airtight container, at room temperature for 2 weeks and in the refrigerator for 1 month.

Freeze: Wrap the cooled fruit cake in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Store in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 6 months. To thaw, leave it in the refrigerator overnight and then bring to room temperature before serving.

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