The Ultimate Fruitcake Recipe for Weddings and Christmas

Looking for a cake that works beautifully for weddings and Christmas celebrations? You’re in the right place! This ultimate fruitcake recipe is a total showstopper, perfect for any special occasion. It’s loaded with delicious goodies like raisins, dried apricots, mixed peel, glace cherries, and dates—basically, all the flavors that make a fruitcake irresistible. Whether you soak it in apple juice or brandy, this cake will steal the spotlight, whether it’s on a festive table or at a wedding reception. Ready to get baking? Let’s do this!

Fruitcake memories

As a child, I vividly remember the absolute highlight of attending weddings: those rectangular slices of wedding cake, carefully wrapped in cellophane and waiting on the guest tables. It was such a treat! As I grew older, I realized something delightful—the very same recipe, with just a tweak or two in the decorations, made its way onto the Christmas table too. Fast forward a few years, and now I find myself baking this cake for all kinds of special celebrations, like wedding anniversaries. Honestly, any excuse to bring those nostalgic flavors back to life and let my taste buds relive those sweet childhood memories!

I discovered this fabulous recipe from Tin Eats and gave it a personal twist by incorporating overnight soaking, as suggested in the tips section. This little tweak makes all the difference, bringing back those warm, nostalgic flavors from my childhood. It’s like a delicious trip down memory lane!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Fruit Soaking: 1 hour
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

Cuisine: Australia, British, Western
Course: Dessert
Servings: 20 - 25 people

Fruitcake Ingredients

Fast soaked fruit:

300g (10 oz) raisins
150g (5 oz) diced dried apricots, chopped 8 mm (⅓ inch)
75g (2.5 oz) store-bought mixed peel (not fresh), diced 5mm (⅕ inch)
150g / 5 oz glace cherries, chopped 8 mm (⅓ inch)
180g / 6 oz dates, diced 5mm (⅕ inch)
⅓ brandy + ⅔ cup and 2 tbsp apple juice (see tips at the bottom)

For the cake:

115g / 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
½ cup vegetable oil (or canola, peanut, grapeseed)
3 tbsp golden syrup
½ tsp salt
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
½ tsp baking powder
1 ⅔ cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
¾ cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Fast Soaked Fruit:

Place dried fruit and juice/brandy in a large microwavable container. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes on high or until hot.
Stir to coat all fruit in liquid. Cover then set aside for 1 hour (to plump up/soak and cool).

Cake:

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan) (320°F). Grease and line a 21 – 22 cm (8 – 9 inch) round cake pan with baking paper (parchment paper) 7 cm (2.75 inch) tall.
Using an electric beater, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute on speed 5).
Add oil and golden syrup and beat until combined.
Add salt, spices, and baking powder – and beat until combined.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined.
Stir in the flour.
When mostly incorporated, stir in the fruit mix (including all the extra liquid in the bowl) and walnuts.
Pour into cake pan, cover with foil, and bake for 3 hours plus 15 minutes, removing foil the last 45 minutes. The skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean with no batter.
Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

Decorating options:

The fruitcake is moist and so fully flavored it can be eaten plain. But like I said earlier, the cake is versatile and can be decorated to suit the celebrations.

Traditional White Christmas Cake with 250g (8 oz) “ready to roll” marzipan and 250g (8 oz) “ready to roll” fondant. Put cherries on top and dust with icing sugar.
Pile the top of the cake with fresh cherries or other fruit, and dust with icing sugar (powdered sugar). Wrap a ribbon around the cake for an extra touch!
Flip the fruitcake upside down for a flat surface, then glaze it with a drippy, plain, sweet white glaze.
Serve it as a dessert with custard for a traditional experience!

Serving Ideas:

Cut the fruitcake into thin wedges or cut it into thin strips of 2cm (0.75 inch) or so, then cut those strips into serving-size pieces.

Fruitcake Recipe Tricks and Tips

I buy the dried fruit as whole pieces and chop them to size. I do that because I end up with an ultra-moist cake by chopping the dried fruit just before using it. And that’s what you want!
I like to soak the fruit overnight at room temperature when I have enough time. In this case, I add ¼ cup of brandy before using it in the mixture.
Marzipan:
Dust your work surface with a little icing sugar to stop sticking. Take the marzipan and shape it into a disc, then roll it out until it’s big enough to cover the cake and its sides (250g/8oz marzipan works perfectly, with a little to spare).
Carefully roll the marzipan onto your rolling pin, then unroll it over the fruitcake. Drape it gently, stretching and pressing it to cover the sides as smoothly as possible, aiming for minimal pleats. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect—this is just Layer 1. It helps smooth the surface for the next layer and adds that lovely hint of almond flavor. A wet table knife is handy for smoothing out any pleats!
Fondant:
Dust your work surface with more icing sugar, then shape the fondant into a disc and roll it out, just like you did with the marzipan. Carefully drape it over the cake, ensuring it covers the top and sides completely.
If you spot any tears or rough patches, don’t panic! Use the side of a wet table knife to gently smooth them out—the moisture softens the fondant, allowing you to “spread” it and seal any cracks. You can also patch up small imperfections with excess bits of fondant. Take your time, and soon you’ll have a beautifully covered cake!

In closing

Happy baking! Don’t forget to drop us a note with a photo or two of your masterpiece—we’d love to see your creation! Let us know what your family and friends thought, too. We adore hearing your stories and sharing recipes from across the world that bring smiles to every table.

More ideas…

By, Arina JVR.
Occasional Contributor | Adventure & Fine Taste Enthusiast

Arina loves life’s simple joys—skiing fresh powder, snapping the perfect shot, and indulging in world flavors. As an occasional contributor, she shares stories from both famous spots and hidden gems. Whether it’s an alpine escape or a secret find, her passion for travel, photography, and adventure shines through.

The Ultimate Fruitcake Recipe for Weddings and Christmas

Fruitcake memories

Fruitcake Ingredients

Instructions

Fruitcake Recipe Tricks and Tips

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