Classic Thanksgiving Fruit Cake
This is a traditional, dense fruit cake packed with a rich assortment of candied fruits, nuts, and warm spices. Molasses provides a deep, complex flavor and dark color, resulting in a substantial dessert perfect for holiday gatherings. The recipe yields a long-lasting cake that improves in flavor over time.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 5 hr
- Serves
- 16
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 324 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, milk, nuts, sulphites, and tree nuts. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 0.5 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 0.5 cupgranulated sugar
- 2 pcslarge egg, beaten
- 1 cupmolasses
- 2 tbspbuttermilk
- 0.5 tspbaking soda
fruit & nut mix
- 0.25 cupcandied citron, chopped
- 0.25 cupcandied orange peel, chopped
- 0.25 cupcandied lemon peel, chopped
- 0.25 cupcandied pineapple, chopped
- 0.25 cupcandied cherry, halved
- 1 cupwalnut, roughly chopped
- 0.5 cupcurrant
- 0.5 cupseedless raisin
batter
- 2.25 cupall-purpose flour
fruit coating
- 0.25 cupall-purpose flour
spices
- 0.5 tspground nutmeg
- 0.5 tspground allspice
- 0.5 tspground cloves
Equipment
large mixing bowls · hand mixer · tube pan · spatula · wire rack · cutting board · knife · oven · sifter · stand mixer
The method
Step by step
- 1
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Thoroughly grease and flour a 25cm (10-inch) tube pan or two 23x13cm (9x5-inch) loaf pans.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Using parchment paper on the bottom of the pan can make removing the cake easier.
- 2
In a very large bowl, combine the chopped walnuts, currants, raisins, and all the chopped and halved candied fruits.
About 3 min
- 3
Sprinkle the flour for the fruit coating over the fruit and nut mixture. Toss until every piece is lightly coated.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: This step is crucial to prevent the heavy fruits and nuts from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.
- 4
In a separate medium bowl, whisk or sift together the flour for the batter with the ground nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
About 2 min
- 5
In a large bowl with a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
About 5 min
- 6
Add the beaten eggs to the creamed butter mixture gradually, mixing well until fully incorporated.
About 2 min
- 7
Pour in the molasses and mix on low speed until just combined. The batter might look slightly separated, which is normal.
About 1 min
- 8
In a small cup, stir the baking soda into the buttermilk. It will foam up.
About 1 min
- 9
Immediately pour the foamy buttermilk mixture into the wet ingredients and mix briefly to combine.
About 1 min
- 10
Add the flour and spice mixture to the wet ingredients in two or three additions, mixing on low speed until just barely combined after each addition.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the cake tender.
- 11
Using a sturdy spatula, fold the flour-coated fruit and nut mixture into the batter until everything is evenly distributed. The batter will be very thick and heavy.
About 3 min
- 12
Spoon the batter into your prepared pan(s) and use the back of the spatula to spread it into an even layer.
About 2 min
- 13
Bake for 2.5 to 3 hours. The cake is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
About 2 hr 30 min
Cook’s note: If the top of the cake begins to get too dark, you can cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- 14
Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool for 30 minutes before attempting to remove it.
About 30 min
- 15
Carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack, remove the pan, and let it cool completely to room temperature.
About 1 hr 30 min
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 324.1kcal
- Protein
- 4.5g
- Carbs
- 52.6g
- Fat
- 11.7g
- Fibre
- 2.1g
- Sugar
- 34.8g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Wrap the completely cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil; store in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator.
This cake is best served at room temperature.
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