This old fashioned alcohol free Spiced Boiled fruit cake recipe is lightly spiced and filled with dried and candied fruits and nuts. It is a rich dark moist fruit cake recipe that is delicious for afternoon tea or served with custard for dessert.
Have you ever wondered how to make fruit cake at home from scratch, but felt overwhelmed by the thought of it? How many times have you eaten dry or tasteless fruit cakes and wished for a moist fruit cake that was lightly spiced and had a tender crumb?
I must confess that growing up the traditional fruit cake recipe was my least favorite of all cakes to eat at any time of the year. I usually passed it along to my mother if we received it as wedding favors, or if it was served at Eid or Christmas festive afternoon teas.
The two versions I was most familiar with were my Aunty Gadija’s Light Fruit cake recipe without alcohol and another Aunty Gadija’s traditional loaf fruit cake recipe without alcohol. I loved the blonde version but more often than not had to choke down any other fruit cakes.
If memory serves me, this boiled fruit cake recipe was passed to my mother from an old family friend. The first time I tasted this moist boiled fruit cake recipe was on a vacation to the Wild Coast with my mum, her friend Aunty Joan and my cousin. The vacation was Aunty Joan’s gift to me for passing my senior year at high school. 🙂
Aunty Joan normally baked her rich fruit cake recipe for her friends at Christmas and had brought along half of the extra one for our snack time. The taste was delicious but the texture was a bit dry.
We received a boiled fruit cake from Aunty Joan again for Eid that same year, but again it was really dry and crumbly. Not the type of cake you could serve with tea, but definitely perfect for dessert with lovely homemade custard.
One day during a random conversation about baking, my mother finally plucked up the courage to ask Aunty Joan how she made the fruit cake. She didn’t want to hurt her feelings by telling her the fruit cake was very dry and best eaten with custard. Aunty Joan explained her method in detail and then we realized what the problem was.
Aunty Joan’s oven was faulty so she never knew whether the cakes were cooked through. After about 45 minutes of baking she would remove the cake from the oven, cut it in two, then continue baking until she thought it was fully cooked.
When they made exactly the same recipe at our house and baked it in our oven, it turned out completely differently. It had morphed from a dry fruity tinder block to the best fruit cake recipe and a moist, tender spiced confection. My mother adapted the original easy fruit cake recipe slightly by adding glaced (candied) and dried fruits as well as nuts. I adapted it further by adding mixed citrus peel and using less sugar and oil.
Top tips for making Spiced Boiled fruit cake at home
- Cook the fruit mixture the night before you want to bake the cake and allow it cool completely.
- If you are in a hot climate you can refrigerate the mixture after it cools but allow it to come back to room temperature before adding the other ingredients.
- Line the cake tins with parchment paper but do not grease it as there is sufficient butter in the batter.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for at least 30-45 minutes before removing it. I always use a springform cake tin as it ensures that I don’t accidentally drop the cake or break it when trying to flip it out onto a cooling rack.
If you don’t like a traditional old fashioned fruit cake recipe why not try one of our other recipes for afternoon tea?
- Best Glazed Orange Bundt Cake
- Gluten free Orange and Almond Cake
- Carrot and Beetroot Cake
- Decadent Chocolate cake with ganache
- Rose cupcakes with white chocolate ganache
Spiced Boiled fruit cake
Ingredients
- 500 grams butter lightly salted
- 320 grams sugar fine granulated, approximately 375 ml or 1 1/2 cups
- 500 grams dried fruit mix
- 60 ml mixed citrus peel
- 200 grams whole glace cherries divided (approximately 250 ml or 1 cup)
- 100 grams glace ginger approximately two thumb sized pieces, optional
- 100 grams glace figs approximately 3 medium figs, optional
- 100 grams walnuts approximately 310 ml or 1 1/4 cup
- 20 ml cinnamon powder approximately 4 teaspoons
- 20 ml ginger powder approximately 4 teaspoons
- 10 ml mixed spice powder approximately 2 teaspoons
- 500 ml water
- 10 ml baking soda / bicarbonate of soda approximately 2 level teaspoons
- 6 large eggs
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 500 grams cake or fine sponge flour approximately 1000 ml or 4 cups lightly packed
- 20 ml baking powder approximately 4 teaspoons
Instructions
One day before baking
- In a deep pot add the butter, sugar, spices, water, baking soda and dried fruits.
- Add 100 grams of the whole cherries and bring to the boil on a medium heat.
- Allow to boil for 5-6 minutes until the rolling foaming stops, and take care that it does not boil over as the mixture is very hot and will scald.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then cover and leave to rest for at least 12 hours or overnight.
Baking day
- When ready to proceed with baking, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius or 160 fan / 350 F / Gas mark 4.
- Add the eggs to the cooled fruit mixture, one at a time and mix thoroughly, then add the oil.
- Lastly sift in the flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly to combine.
- Decant into cake tins that have been lined with parchment paper. No greasing is required.
- Place in the lower shelf of the oven and bake for 5 mins before reducing the temperature to 170 degrees celcius or 150 fan / 325 F / Gas Mark 3, for another 65 - 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- The tray cake will bake for a shorter time so check it after 45 minutes.
Notes
- The prep time does not include the 12 hours resting time of the boiled fruit mixture.
- The original recipe used 500 grams self raising flour, but I substituted it with 500 grams cake flour or fine sponge flour, plus 20 ml baking powder. If you wish, you can use the self raising flour instead, but the texture may be different.
- If using unsalted butter add up to 1/2 teaspoon salt to the batter.
- I use Mixed Spice powder, and if that is not available, you may substitute with a similar quantity of pumpkin pie spice powder.
- I have used different size pans when making these cakes. The batter is enough for two 20 cm round cakes or one 20 cm round cake and a rectangular sheet cake (23 x 30.5 x 3.5 cm approximately 9" x 12 1/4" x 1 1/4")
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information for the recipe is an approximation and varies according to the ingredients and products used.
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58 Comments
Ambuj Saxena
December 15, 2020 at 1:15 amHmmm so delicious!! You sure know how to win over someone glad
Kiwi
December 14, 2020 at 12:54 pmThis is very interesting. I never tried a fruitcake in my life.
Kileen
December 14, 2020 at 9:26 amThis looks like a really yummy treat! This would be so yummy for the holiday season!
Krysten Quiles
December 13, 2020 at 1:22 amOooh yum, that sounds absolutely delish! Totally trying this out.
Celebrate Woman Today
December 12, 2020 at 9:52 pmThis is an amazingly beautiful and so delish-looking dessert for any holiday. You are master chefs!
Rose Ann Sales
December 12, 2020 at 8:35 pmSeems so nice and moist. I want mine this way too
Norma
December 12, 2020 at 8:29 pmThis fruit cake looks delicious! Great step by step instructions. I will try this recipe once I have all the necessary ingredients.
Knashz
December 12, 2020 at 10:32 amI’d love to try out a fruit cake. Looks really delish!
Gervin Khan
December 12, 2020 at 7:16 amOh my goodness, seeing this fruit cake looks really delicious and makes my mouthwatering!
Angela
December 11, 2020 at 11:53 pmOmg soo delicious recipe thank you so much. I love fruit cake just don’t know how to make it. Thanks you now i know😀
mhyn
June 2, 2019 at 11:34 amyou know what? this recipe is just SOOO MEEEE.. I love cake. I love Fruit.. And I love spicy food.. Imagine I can have it all in this recipe.. I must must must try this.. OHHH… how can I resist.
David Elliott
May 31, 2019 at 6:57 pmI am not the biggest fruit cake fan to be honest. Although I have heard the home made ones can be really good. i know my dad likes it though. Maybe I could make this for him on his birthday.
Razena Schroeder
June 2, 2019 at 1:06 pmI hated fruit cake when I was younger. Always so dry and tasteless. This one though is the best though and I can eat it plain or with custard for dessert 😂
Nayna Kanabar
May 31, 2019 at 1:37 amThis fruit cake looks so deliciously moist and tasty and so light. I would love to have that with coffee.
Arun
May 30, 2019 at 10:11 pmI love them. I have tried them only on bakery shops though. Never made myself. They feel heavenly and so satisfying . I am going to try it. God, I am tempted to have it now.
Ewuzie Kingsley
May 30, 2019 at 5:00 pmYummy this looks delicious and tasty I have so much love for fruit cakes, and this is Just appetizing Although having to try it with custard seem nice I think having it with a bowl of ice cream or Vanila milk shake with go well.
Geraline Batarra
May 30, 2019 at 8:45 amThis recipe sounds great. I bet I can follow the instructions, seems so easy. Thanks for sharing.
Gervin Khan
May 29, 2019 at 2:26 pmThis sounds like an old delicious recipe to make for everyone and I will definitely preparing this for our next family gathering.
Anagha
May 29, 2019 at 1:47 pmSo good to prepare old time recipes and fruit cake. I can imagine the delicious taste and will plan to make it soon.
Samantha Donnelly
May 29, 2019 at 12:22 amMy Mum makes hers with a similar recipe, it always smells amazing x
Shakirah
March 7, 2019 at 8:06 pmI’m baking this cake for the second time, only because my father in-law says its the best fruit cake that he has ever eaten. I must confess, it is a very delicious cake. I don’t even eat fruit cake, but enjoy eating this one.
Razena Schroeder
March 7, 2019 at 8:26 pmHaha it’s one of only two fruitcakes that I eat. I still have to get the recipe for the second one from my aunt ❤️
Nammi
December 9, 2018 at 2:07 pmYumm, I love fruit cakes but never tried making one my own. This looks so delicious
Razena Schroeder
December 9, 2018 at 2:38 pmWhat I love about this recipe is that it’s a one bowl wonder… I usually refrigerate the boiled mixture in the same cooking vessel after it has cooled and mix the other ingredients in the next day. You don’t need any fancy stand mixers or even an electric hand beater. Any wooden spoon will do 🙂
Fareeha
May 28, 2016 at 4:51 pmWow, what a beautiful idea. I love fruit cake but have never tried at home for the fear that it wont turn out good. Time to put on the apron I guess. Looks so delish and easy
Razena Schroeder
May 28, 2016 at 7:27 pmI’m sure you could whip one up in no time 🙂
Shazia
May 28, 2016 at 1:56 pmThe cake looks so yum,moist and perfect!i love such fruit cakes and always want to try it!?
Razena Schroeder
May 28, 2016 at 7:29 pmThank you. You should try making this in shaa ALLAH, it is so easy 🙂
Huma
May 28, 2016 at 12:31 pmLooks so delicious and moist
Razena Schroeder
May 28, 2016 at 7:30 pmThank you, it’s lovely and perfect with a cup of tea 🙂
Asiya
May 28, 2016 at 10:21 amThis cake looks so yummy and spongy… I never tried baking section and this cake inspires me to try a cake recipe…
Razena Schroeder
May 28, 2016 at 7:31 pmThank you. Many cooks are little afraid of baking, but this is so easy you will love making it.
Sherien
May 28, 2016 at 6:10 amThat is just a lovely scrumptious cake… Definitely a keeper recipe
Razena Schroeder
May 28, 2016 at 7:32 pmThank you. I hope you try it sometime.
Sadia
May 28, 2016 at 2:44 amSalaam Razena! I am visiting your blog for the first time today. Came to know about your blog through muslim food bloggers facebook group. Glad I did. Lovely blog with great recipes. The cake looks too good. ??
Razena Schroeder
May 28, 2016 at 7:33 pmWa alaykum salaam wa rahmatullah. Thank you for your kind words, and I am happy to welcome you to my little blog space 🙂
Lubna Karim
May 27, 2016 at 11:15 pmThis is a treat….so yum…I love fruit loaded cake and this one is one of its kind….
Razena Schroeder
May 28, 2016 at 7:32 pmThank you. It’s definitely my favourite by far.
Mackenzie
May 13, 2016 at 9:06 pmAll of the best recipes come with an excellent story like this behind them. I’ve always been apprehensive of trying fruit cake because media always makes it look like a dry and foul-tasting cake, but this looks amazing!
Razena Schroeder
May 13, 2016 at 10:23 pmI think many of those reports of dry and foul tasting cakes are probably not far off. I’ve tried one or two others over the years and they were rather tasteless and dry for my tastes. This one is both moist and very flavourful with all the warming spices.
Uma Srinivas
May 5, 2016 at 12:55 amLooks great! I think ginger flavor will be good in cakes:) perfect for tea time!
Razena Schroeder
May 8, 2016 at 8:26 amAlthough there is powdered dried ginger as well as glaced ginger in this recipe it is not overpowering at all and adds a lovely warmth to the cake.
pooja@poojascookery.com
April 29, 2016 at 4:53 amI love cakes and that just looks amazing and so flavorful..
Razena Schroeder
April 29, 2016 at 5:32 amTrue… we eat with our eyes as much as our mouths 🙂
Kylee
April 20, 2016 at 2:24 amGlad your Mum asked what the method was – sounds like a really beautiful cake!
Razena Schroeder
April 29, 2016 at 5:34 amIt truly is moist and fragrant now 🙂
April
April 14, 2016 at 6:03 pmDry cake is such a disappointment but as you know, it’s the thought that really counts. It looks delicious and the spices sound wonderful! Glad you all were able to figure out that the problem was and turn it into a moist wonderful cake. I actually love fruit cake. I remember eating it every year as a kid.