Old English Fruitcake. NEW VIDEO! Dark and moist with plenty of spices and packed with plenty of sweet glacé fruit. It’s been a Christmas tradition in my family for decades.
Old English Fruitcake
Originally published on November 7, 2007. Updated to provide new featured photos and a new video!
It’s still weeks away, I know, but I’ve got a head start on a dark old English fruitcake for Spouse. It’s a real old English style, dense, dark fruitcake.
Old English Fruitcake. The recipe will make 2 loaf sized cakes if you like.
Old English Fruitcake, 2017 photo.
I think this one weighs in at between 7 and 8 pounds. It’s her absolute favourite. Tomorrow she goes to the rum spa for a soak and a wrap. The cake, that is, not Spouse!
Ground almonds, pecans or walnuts are easily substituted.
I like to toast the nuts and keep them in chunks to add to the batter.
Inspired by my Newfoundland upbringing, this dark English fruitcake with roots in the UK is one of my favourite things to look forward to at Christmas. This is a large cake meant to be served in small pieces.
Fruit mixture after it has been boiled
Finished batter for the Old English Fruitcake in a large stainless steel bowl
All ready for the oven.
Make it as 2 loaf cakes and decorate the top to your own liking.
A very festive looking Christmas centrepiece.
There are easily 40 portions or more which means there’s plenty to share with friends and family whenever they pop by during the Holidays.
Need more Christmas dessert ideas?
Click on the photo to follow the link below to our Best Christmas Cake Recipes.
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Old English Dark Fruit Cake
Old English Fruitcake - A dark, rich, well spiced old fashioned English style fruitcake that can be made weeks in advance of Christmas.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups chopped dried prunes (6 oz), chopped
- 1 1/4 cups chopped dates (6 oz), chopped
- 1 1/2 cups dark raisins (8 oz)
- 1 1/4 cups golden raisins (6 oz)
- 1 1/4 cups currants (6 oz)
- ¾ cup butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup molasses
- ½ cup coffee liqueur, or ½ cup strong black coffee
- Zest and juice of 2 oranges
- 1 cup chopped glace cherries
- 1 cup candied citrus peel
- 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (7 oz), roughly chopped
- 2 tsp allspice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp powdered ginger
- 1 tsp cloves
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 tbsp cocoa
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup ground hazelnuts or almonds
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
Instructions
- In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat and add the raisins, dates, prunes, currents, brown sugar, molasses, spices, coffee liqueur (or coffee) and the orange zest and juice.
- Bring to a gentle boil and very slowly simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30-45 minutes.
- When cool stir in the beaten eggs.
- Sift together, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda.
- Add the ground nuts and fold through the boiled mixture. Fold in cherries, citrus peel and pecans. Pour into prepared baking pan. You can decorate the top with additional pecan halves, cherries etc., if you like.
- Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 ½ to 2 hours depending upon the size of your pan. Mine took the full two hours in a 10 inch spring form pan.The cake should feel firm to the touch at the center and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. The cake should be cooled completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing.
- At this point you can poke small holes in the top and bottom of the cake with a fork and pour on 4 ounces of dark rum or your favorite whiskey, half on the top, wait ten minutes, then flip it over and pour the remaining half on the bottom.
- Soak several layers of cheesecloth in additional rum if you like and wrap completely around the cake, then cover with several layers of plastic wrap and store in a COOL place.
- When serving, you can add a layer of marzipan or if you have decorated the top with fruit and nuts, brush with a simple glaze of equal parts water and sugar boiled together for about 10-15 minutes.
Notes
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Nutrition Information
Yield
40Serving Size
gAmount Per Serving Calories 231Saturated Fat 2gCholesterol 21mgSodium 62mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 2gSugar 24gProtein 2g
Diane
Tuesday 18th of November 2025
I like fruitcake. And I cannot afford the fancy expensive ones available to buy so I thought I’d try this. The only thing I did differently was I put my (very dry from my pantry) fruits and raisins into the micro with some sherry to steam then rested them overnight. In the morning the small amount of liquid was absorbed, the dry fruit was softer. Baked as directed it look and smells wonderful. Not sure I can wait 5 weeks to taste! Planning brandy soaks till then…thanks for your recipe!
Eugene Jones
Monday 10th of November 2025
I make the Dark English fruitcake every year. Just let me say people who don’t even care for fruitcake generally will eat this baby up.
Mary
Saturday 8th of November 2025
Hi, if I omit the ground nuts and pecans, do you think I should add more flour and fruit?
Mary
Saturday 8th of November 2025
@Barry C. Parsons, it is astonishing to me how you answer every question so nicely. Thank you. I will be making the cake tonight or tomorrow. Also, I love molasses and specifically was looking for a recipe that used it.
Barry C. Parsons
Saturday 8th of November 2025
Not necessary, I don't think.
Malcolm Paul
Saturday 25th of October 2025
A couple of years ago when making this cake I accidentally grabbed the cayenne bottle instead of cinnamon. I managed to scrape most, but not all, out of the bowl. But guess what? It was delicious. The tiny hint of heat worked beautifully with all the sweet fruit. I add 1/4 teaspoon every year now!
Janet
Tuesday 16th of September 2025
Hi Barry, Just wanted to check one thing. In step 5 it says to sift the dry ingredients together. Are the ground nuts added to the dry ingredients and then folded into the boiled mixture? Thank you
Barry C. Parsons
Tuesday 16th of September 2025
That's what I do.