Easy Moist Fruit Cake – Only 4 Ingredients!

four ingredient Christmas fruit cake decorated with pecans, almonds and glacé cherries

5 from 1 vote

Easy Moist Fruit Cake – Only 4 Ingredients!

This quick and easy Christmas fruit cake recipe uses just four ingredients! Deliciously moist freshly baked and EVEN BETTER as it matures, this Baileys fruit cake will wow family and friends this festive season. Decorate with nuts and cherries or top with icing.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Chilling8

Total Time10 10

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: Continental

Keyword: 4 Ingredient Fruit Cake, Baileys Fruit Cake

Servings:

Calories: 354kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cake

2 pounds (900g) mixed dried fruit * see note 1
1 ¼ cups (300ml) Baileys Irish Cream Original or similar cream liquor
14 oz (400g) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups (230g) self rising flour * see note 2

Optional add ins

zest of an orange
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
pinch ground cloves

To decorate

5 tbsp smooth apricot jam , warm
selection of nuts pecans, almonds, walnuts etc
glacé cherries

Instructions

Place the mixed fruit in a large mixing bowl and add the Baileys and sweetened condensed milk (plus orange zest, if using). Stir well to combine, cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.
2 pounds (900g) mixed dried fruit , 1 ¼ cups (300ml) Baileys Irish Cream Original , 14 oz (400g) sweetened condensed milk
The following day or when ready to bake, prepare a deep 8 inch cake pan – mist with cake release and line the bottom and sides with two layers of baking paper. Preheat the oven to 300°F / 150°C (285°F / 140°F if you are using a fan forced oven).
Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. If the mixture is too cold and dense to stir, you can heat it in the microwave for 30 second bursts until it becomes easier.
Sift the flour (and spices, if using) over the fruit in batches and fold into the soaked fruit mixture until no dry pockets of flour are visible. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and level.
2 cups (230g) self rising flour
Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 2 hours. Start checking the cake at the 90 minute mark. The fruit cake is ready when golden, with a firm top and edges that just start to come away from the edge of the pan. A tester inserted in the middle should come out clean. If you have an instant read thermometer you can check that the internal temperature is between 208°F and 212°F (98°C and 100°C).
Remove the cake from the tin once it is completely cool (see recipe notes if you are baking the cake ahead of Christmas). Brush with warm smooth apricot jam and decorate with pecans, almonds, glacé cherries and decorative fondant cut-outs. Store in a cake tin at room temperature.
5 tbsp smooth apricot jam, selection of nuts, glacé cherries

Video

Notes

Note 1: You can create your own dried fruit and nut mix instead of buying a ready mixed combo. I like to include raisins, currants, dried cranberries, dates, candied citrus peel and cherries in my fruit cake mix. You can also add some chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans or almonds. Just make sure the weight / volume is same as specified in the recipe.

Note 2: To make your own self raising flour, sift two cups (230g) of plain / all purpose flour with three teaspoons of baking powder and pinch salt. Use straight away.

How to Feed Your Fruit Cake

If you have baked your fruit cake ahead of Christmas – three months before is the recommended baking time – then you can let it mature by "feeding" it with alcohol.

Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the cake tin. If you are storing the cake you can remove it from the tin and wrap it well in baking paper. Poke holes all over with a metal skewer and feed the cake with a tablespoon of rum or brandy once a week for at least four weeks and up to three months.

Nutrition