Fruitcake - Alcohol-Free, a kid-friendly cake you can have the same day you bake it. Tastes just like authentic fruitcake (maybe even better!). This cake is moist and stays moist for days its flavor keeps improving with time.
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This cake WAS one of the cakes that I didn’t dare to try making. The process and the long list of ingredients put me off, not to mention that your girl here (Me) does not consume alcohol.
I settled for the lighter versions of fruit cake which is almost like a pound cake or a butter cake filled with dried fruit or candied peel.
I’ve also discovered the secret behind a moist, Alcohol-free, delicious Fruit Cake. Before sharing the secret, let me tell you that making this cake involves cooking some ingredients first. I boiled some ingredients for a minute or less.
🥘 INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED
In the recipe card below, you will find more details and instructions.
All-purpose flour: Do not go for cake flour, I feel that all-purpose flour is the best for this recipe.
Eggs: Besides using baking powder, we need them to help the cake rise.
Candid mixed peel: It's not a fruitcake without candid mixed peel, try to get a good quality mixed peel for the best result.
Spices: A blend of warm earthy spices will add amazing flavor to this cake.
Mixed nuts: It is best to use toasted nuts, and you can get creative and use the nuts you prefer.
🔪 HOW TO MAKE
Step 1
In a saucepan. Add butter, water, sugar, spices, and raisins, and let it boil for one minute. Turn off the heat, add the milk and mix well.
Step 2
Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Add the candied mixed peel, cherries, and nuts.
Step 3
Add the vanilla to the butter and milk mixture, beat the eggs, and add to the same mixture. Stir until combined, then pour over the flour and fold gently.
Step 4
Pour the batter into the baking pan. Using a spatula, try to even the surface of the cake batter.
Step 5
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Place the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
💭 COOKING TIPS
- The secret to this moist cake is whisking the eggs with warm-boiled ingredients. When you whisk the egg with warm liquid, the texture of the egg turns custard-like, making the cake moist.
- You can consume this cake the same day you bake it, but it tastes better the next day.
- Use quality butter and candid mixed peel.
📖 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS
This alcohol-free Fruitcake recipe tastes great, but you can still make a few changes if you wish.
Add cardamom powder: This cake has a great blend of spices, but you can make it more exotic by adding some cardamom powder.
Use chopped hazelnuts: I know this nut is expensive, but this cake is made for special occasions, so why not add more flavor by adding hazelnuts?
Shredded carrot: Try adding a quarter cup of shredded carrot to the batter, this will keep the cake moist longer.
💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, you can, you can even make cupcakes using this recipe. All you have to remember is that the baking time will be different.
I never use alcohol in my cooking or baking. Hence I'm not sure how it will affect the texture. But this cake is delicious as is.
🍲 MORE CAKE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
🌡️ STORING
You don't have to soak this cake in juices or tea; you don't have to wait until it matures, this cake can be baked and served the same day, unlike your traditional fruit cake, and still carry amazing flavor.
On the kitchen counter: Place the cake in an airtight container and place it on your counter for two days.
In the fridge: Wrap the cake with parchment paper, wrap it with plastic or foil, place it in an airtight container, and then refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freeze it: Follow the same method as refrigerating but place the fruitcake in the freezer for up to 3 months. It is best to freeze slices of the cake to make it easier to thaw it later.
Thaw it: To thaw the frozen fruitcake slice, place the wrapped fruitcake slice in the fridge overnight if it is still frozen, then pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.
📖 Recipe
Fruitcake Recipe Alcohol Free
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon cloves powder
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup candied and chopped mixed peel
- ⅓ cup chopped candied cherries
- ⅓ cup mixed nuts you can add more if you wish
Instructions
- In a saucepan. Add butter, water, sugar, spices, raisins, and let it come to a boil for one minute. Turn off the heat, add the milk to the mixture and mix well. Keep it aside until warm to the touch.
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C. line a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and keep aside.
- Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Add the candied mixed peel, cherries, nuts, and mix well.
- Add the vanilla to the butter and milk mixture, beat the eggs and add to the same mixture. Stir until combined then pour over the flour and fold gently.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan. Using a spatula try to even the surface of the cake batter. You can decorate the surface with nuts.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Place the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely. Although you can enjoy this cake the same day, it tastes better and becomes more tender and moist the second day.
Notes
- The secret to this moist cake is whisking the eggs with warm-boiled ingredients. When you whisk the egg with warm liquid, the texture of the egg turns custard-like, making the cake moist.
- You can consume this cake the same day you bake it, but it tastes better the next day.
- Use quality butter and candid mixed peel.
Habibat
been searching for an alcohol free fruit cake recipe! glad to see this.will try it out by weekend!
munatycooking
Hope that you enjoy it!
Phoebe Ann Abulencia
Everybody loves it. Can you pls load a recipe if i where to put alcohol into the cake. Some wants it the same and some wants it with rum. I want to have the same recipe i just want to know the ratio of the rum. Hope you will reply
munatycooking
Hi, Thanks for trying my recipe, I'm glad that you and yours enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I do not consume alcohol and won't be able to advise you in that.
Emelle
Can I omit the spices ?🙏
munatycooking
Hi Emlle, you can omit the spices of course 🙂
Sonia Yohannes
My mom is from Pune. Every Christmas she talks about the lovely fruit cake she used to have back home. This year, I decided to bake her one, but as we don't consume alcohol, this was the perfect recipe. She was delighted. Thanks.
munatycooking
Hi Sonia, I'm happy that your mom enjoyed this cake and thanks for your feedback 🙂
Mohammed Hanief
Assalamualaykum
Thank you for this recipe. I modified it by using 3\4 cup light brown sugar, for less sweetness and it was still quite sweet, my wife and I are both diabetics.
I added a teaspoon of black treacle, I also used self raising flour, chopped dates and almonds.
Alhamdulillah the cake came out great.
Your website is beautifully setup.
I share the cooking and baking with my wife and she likes my cooking, not so much my experiments, yet they taste great. She is conservative and rarely tries new things. She is 60 now so I don't mind.
Wassalam.
munatycooking
Wa alaikum assalam! I'm glad that you liked my recipe 🙂
Thanks a lot for sharing this with me.
Cora
If I were to make this recipe ahead of time for Christmas (i.e. now) would I be able to freeze it after a few days of letting it sit at room temperature to develop the flavour? I want to make it ahead of time and I as well don't consume alcohol.
munatycooking
Hi Cora, this cake is full of flavor and you don't have to leave it out for days to develop the flavor. After baking the cake, let it cool to room temperature and then wrap it with a plastic wrap and then with an aluminum foil. Place the cake in an airtight container or a big Ziplock bag and place it in the freezer. To thaw the cake, remove the aluminum foil, and let it thaw overnight in the fridge or place it over the kitchen counter.
Ellen
What can I substitute candied mixed peel with or can I just leave it out completely ?
munatycooking
You can use dried fruits instead or sliced canned cherries.
Stephen
Hi, I just tried this and it came out great! I was wondering if it was possible to do this without eggs? What can I use as a substitute?
munatycooking
Hi Stephen, I never made this cake without eggs, I'm sorry but don't know what will work here instead of eggs.
Cory L. Kanth
I especially appreciate the non-alcoholic version alongside Muna's explanation of why alcohol is used in the first place, and how to retain the quality of a traditional cake without the alcohol.
munatycooking
Thank you so much for your kind words ☺