Last Updated on February 3, 2023
Making candied fruit for fruitcakes is a wonderful way to make a delicious holiday dessert. Your guests will be impressed by this incredible cake you made from scratch.
Even if it is not the holiday season, I absolutely love fruit cake. It is spicy and hearty and makes me remember Christmas nights with my family. My mother used to make it but she would not teach me how to make it, so I tried a few and eventually got to this amazing easy fruit cake recipe with candied fruit that I absolutely love. I will tell you how to do the best fruitcake, though, so do not fret!
Fruit cake has been made for hundreds of years, as a way to keep the cake fresh for longer. Today we will work on a very easy but very delicious base and then we will work on a gorgeous topping to be able to serve it on any kind of table we want.
You will need at least 3 hours to make this one plus an overnight soaking for it to be the best it can be. Although simple it requires some effort, but it is totally worth it! It will yield enough batter for an 8-inch, deep cake tin with a loose bottom. Keep an eye out for them, though, so that they do not burn.
We have based our recipe on the Hot Toddy Fruitcake recipe over at BBC Goodfood and our topping on this Jewelled Fruit and Nuts Cake.
What You Will Need to Make The Best Fruitcake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Fruitcake
- 200ml (14 tbs) of hot, strong black tea of any type
- 3 tbsp of whiskey (can be replaced by orange juice)
- 3 tbsp of thin or medium shred orange marmalade, the best you can get
- 2 ½ cups of mixed dried fruit
- ½ a cup of mixed candied peel
- 1 ½ cups of candied fruit
- 1 cup of butter
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup of plain flour
- 1 tsp of allspice
- 2 tsp of ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp of ground ginger
- 1 finely grated lemon zest
For the Soak
- 1 tbsp of brown sugar
- 4 tbsp of hot black tea
- 1 tbsp of whiskey (can be replaced by orange juice)
For the Topping
- 2 tbsp of fruit cake batter
- ¼ of a cup of butter
- ¼ of golden syrup
- 2 tbsp of unsalted cashew nuts
- 3 tbsp of the whole, blanched almonds
- 5 tbsp of shelled pistachio
- 2 tbsp of Brazil nuts
- ½ of a cup of candied cherry
- ¼ of a cup of dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp of pumpkin seed
How to Make the Best Fruitcake
For the Cake and Topping
Step 1
In a large bowl, mix the marmalade together with the hot black tea and whiskey or orange juice until it had melted.
Step 2
Stir in all the candied fruit and peels and the dried fruit. Leave overnight to soak, covered by a tablecloth.
Step 3
Grease an 8-inch, deep cake tin with a loose bottom or line it and preheat the oven to 280°F.
Step 4
Cream the butter and brown sugar until it is fluffy. If you use an electric mixer it will be easier.
Step 5
Add one egg at a time, making sure everything is well incorporated before moving on.
Step 6
Sift the flour and spices together and add them slowly to the mixture.
Step 7
Once everything is evenly mixed, fold in the lemon zest and soaked fruit, together with any leftover liquid. Save 2 tablespoons to make the topping.
Step 8
Bake for 1 hour. While it is in the oven we are going to make the topping. In a saucepan, melt the butter and golden syrup together.
Step 9
Add the nuts, seeds, and candied fruit. Set it aside for the butter to cool and thicken.
Step 10
At the hour mark, take the cake out of the oven. It is not yet done and it will be soft. Do not worry about it sinking because it can take the weight without any problem.
With a spoon, spread the 2 tablespoons of batter you had kept separate. Add the fruit and nut mix on top and put it back in the oven to finish baking.
Step 11
You know it is done once a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Take it out and let it cool.
If it is underdone but the nuts are already golden, cover it with foil and give it another 10 minutes before testing it again.
Best Fruitcake: For the Soak
Step 1
Once the cake has cooled down a bit but is still warm, proceed to make the soak. Be sure to do this before the nutty topping firms up, if not it will ruin the top of the cake, leaving holes all over. Also, be careful with the temperature of the soak. If it is too hot it will melt the topping.
Step 2
Using a skewer, poke holes in the cake down to the bottom. This will allow the soak to penetrate the crumb.
Step 3
Dissolve the sugar in the hot tea and then add the whiskey or orange juice.
Step 4
Spoon the mixture over the cake. You can keep it in an airtight container, away from the heat and sun, for a month.
Step 5
Once it is completely cool, you can loosen the tin and take the cake out. This will allow time for the nutty topping to firm up. Loosen any parts of it that are stuck to the tin before transferring it to a plate.
To finish it off, you can use a ribbon and wrap it around. We guarantee it will look absolutely stunning! I love how the cherries look together with the browned nuts and are covered by the glossy butter and syrup mixture. Festive!
The ribbon can be of any color, but I prefer a thicker band and one that goes with the brightly colored cherries and brown cake.
How to Make Candied Fruit for Fruitcake
To make candied fruit for fruitcake, you will need:
Ingredients
- 3-5 cups of mixed chopped fruit (a combination of oranges, lemons, cherries, pineapple, and apricots)
- 3 cups of water
- 1 cup of granulated sugar (plus more for coating)
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Paring knife
- Medium saucepan
- Large saucepan
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Wax paper
- Cookie sheet
- Wire rack
- Slotted spoon
- Shallow dish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cut the Fruit
Start by washing all of the fruit and then cut the cherries in half and remove the pits. Cut the pineapples and apricots into bite-sized chunks. For the oranges and lemons, cut them into 1/4-inch thin slices.
Step 2: Blanch the Citrus Peels
Blanch the orange and lemon peels in boiling water in a medium saucepan for 20 minutes. Then allow the citrus peels to dry completely.
Step 3: Combine Water and Sugar
In a large saucepan, combine the water and sugar and combine with a whisk. Heat the mixture until it becomes a thick syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil and add your prepared fruit, making sure they are all fully covered in the water.
Step 4: Cook Your Fruit
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook your fruit in the sugar water for 30-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. The fruit should be translucent but not fall apart.
Step 5: Dry Fruit
Carefully remove the fruit with a slotted spoon and place it on a baking sheet lined with wax paper on a wire rack to cool and dry.
Step 6: Coat Candied Fruit in Sugar
In a shallow bowl, add some granulated sugar and roll your fruit in the sugar, coating thoroughly. Store your candied fruit in an airtight container lined with wax paper in the fridge for up to six months.
Where Can I Buy Candied Fruit for Fruitcake?
You can buy candied fruit for fruitcakes in most grocery stores. It is often sold in the produce section or the baking aisle. Candied red cherries for fruitcakes may be hard to find outside of the holiday season.
For candied fruit for fruitcakes, you may have to visit a specialty grocery store or order them online if you can’t find them in your local grocery store. You may also find candied citron fruit for sale at farmer’s markets.
The Best Fruits for Candied Fruit for Fruitcake
When making candied fruit for fruitcakes, you can use a variety of different fruits. A good mixture to start with includes lemons, oranges, cherries, pineapple, and apricots. You can also use other fruits like peaches, papaya, berries, melons, apples, and kiwis.
Ideally, you want to have a mixture of several fruits instead of just one or two fruits. Adding citrus fruits adds a good flavor that will complement your other fruits. Just be sure to wash your fruit well and cut it into bite-sized pieces or 1/4-inch strips for citrus fruits.
The Best Fruitcake Ever with Candied Fruit!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 200 ml (14 tbsp) of hot strong black tea of any type
- 3 tbsp of whiskey can be replaced by orange juice
- 3 tbsp of thin or medium shred orange marmalade the best you can get
- 2 ½ cups of mixed dried fruit
- ½ a cup of mixed candied peel
- 1 ½ cups of candied fruit
- 1 cup of butter
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 cup of plain flour
- 1 tsp of allspice
- 2 tsp of ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp of ground ginger
- 1 finely grated lemon zest
- ---------------------
For the soak
- 1 tbsp of brown sugar
- 4 tbsp of hot black tea
- 1 tbsp of whiskey can be replaced by orange juice
- ---------------------
For the topping
- 2 tbsp of fruit cake batter
- ¼ of a cup of butter
- ¼ of golden syrup
- 2 tbsp of unsalted cashew nuts
- 3 tbsp of whole blanched almonds
- 5 tbsp of shelled pistachio
- 2 tbsp of Brazil nuts
- ½ of a cup of candied cherry
- ¼ of a cup of dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp of pumpkin seed
Instructions
A, B ) For the Cake and Topping
- In a large bowl, mix the marmalade together with the hot black tea and whiskey or orange juice until it had melted.
- Stir in all the candied fruit and peels and the dried fruit. Leave overnight to soak, covered by a tablecloth.
- Grease an 8 inch, deep cake tin with a loose bottom or line it and preheat oven to 280°F.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar until it is fluffy. If you use an electric mixer it will be easier.
- Add one egg at a time, making sure everything is well incorporated before moving on.
- Sift the flour and spices together and add them slowly to the mixture.
- Once everything is evenly mixed, fold in the lemon zest and soaked fruit, together with any liquid that was leftover. Save 2 tablespoons to make the topping.
- Bake for 1 hour. While it is in the oven we are going to make the topping. In a saucepan, melt the butter and golden syrup together.
- Add the nuts, seeds and candied fruit. Set it aside for the butter to cool and thicken.
- At the hour mark, take the cake out of the oven. It is not yet done and it will be soft. Do not worry about it sinking because it can take the weight without any problem.
- With a spoon, spread the 2 tablespoons of batter you had kept separate. Add the fruit and nut mix on top and put back in the oven to finish baking.
- You know it is done once a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Take it out and let cool.
- If it is underdone but the nuts are already golden, cover with foil and give it another 10 minutes before testing it again.
- ---------------------
C) For the soak
- Once the cake has cooled down a bit but it is still warm, proceed to make the soak. Be sure to do this before nutty topping firms up, if not it will ruin the top of the cake, leaving holes all over. Also, be careful with the temperature of the soak. If it is too hot it will melt the topping.
- Using a skewer, poke holes in the cake all the way down to the bottom. This will allow the soak to penetrate the crumb.
- Dissolve the sugar in the hot tea and then add the whiskey or orange juice.
- Spoon the mixture over cake. You can keep it in an airtight container, away from the heat and sun, for a month.
- Once it is completely cool, you can loosen the tin and take the cake out. This will allow time for the nutty topping to firm up. Loosen any parts of it that are stuck to the tin before transferring it to a plate.
Notes
- To finish it off, you can use a ribbon and wrap it around. We guarantee it will look absolutely stunning! I love how the cherries look together with the browned nuts and covered by the glossy butter and syrup mixture. Totally festive!
- The ribbon can be of any color, but I prefer a thicker band and one that goes with the brightly colored cherries and brown cake.
Have you ever made a fruit cake before? Try this one out! It is a bit time-consuming but fairly simple to make and it will taste amazing. You can try it out the next holiday season. I am sure it will be a hit with every family member.
Karen is a passionate pastry chef who loves to create delicious baked goods. She has been in the culinary arts for over 10 years, honing her skills and perfecting her craft. Karen is known for her creativity and attention to detail, creating unique desserts that bring a smile to everyone’s face. She is always looking for ways to challenge herself and come up with new recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. Karen loves to experiment with different flavors and textures, and she is committed to providing the highest quality of products to her customers.
