Deeply Spiced Dark Fruit Cake

Dessert 🍰Snack 🍿 BritishIrish

Deeply Spiced Dark Fruit Cake brims with jeweled dried fruits, candied peel, and almonds bound in a buttery, molasses-kissed crumb. Warm notes of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves create a rich, aromatic bite that mellows beautifully over time. Ideal for festive gatherings, weddings, or holiday gifting when you want a luxurious, celebratory dessert.

Prep1 hr
Cook4 hr 30 min
Serves40
DifficultyHard

1

Wash and dry the raisins and the currants.
2

Wash, dry, pit, and chop the dates.
3

Chop the raisins and the citrus peel.
4

Slice the cherries.
5

Blanch the almonds and slice them lengthwise.
6

Combine the fruits and nuts in a large bowl.
7

Grease and line 3 standard Christmas cake pans (round pans at least 3 inches deep in sizes 5, 7, and 9 inches across) with 4 layers of heavy waxed paper or 3 layers of brown paper.
8

Grease again.
9

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
10

Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices together onto a piece of waxed paper.
11

Remove 1 cup of this flour mixture and combine it with the fruit and nuts.
12

Mix until the fruit is evenly coated.
13

Cream the butter until fluffy.
14

Add the extracts.
15

Gradually add the sugar, mixing until creamy.
16

Beat the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored, then beat them into the butter mixture.
17

Stir in the molasses and beat well together.
18

Add half of the remaining flour mixture and blend thoroughly.
19

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold them into the batter.
20

Stir in the remaining flour mixture lightly, alternating with the grape juice and coffee.
21

Add the floured fruit and nuts, blending until the fruit is evenly distributed.
22

Turn the batter into the prepared cake tins, filling each about 2/3 full and spreading the batter evenly.
23

Bake in the center of the oven.
24

Bake the small cake for 2 1/2 hours, the medium cake for 3 1/2 hours, and the large cake for 4 to 4 1/2 hours.
25

Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.