Boozy Fruit Cake: The Ultimate Holiday Dessert with a Spiked Twist

This cake is rich, festive, and soaked with your favorite spirit, making it the perfect treat for celebrations.

I can’t think of a better way to bring warmth to your holidays than with a Boozy Fruit Cake. This recipe has been a go-to for me every Christmas, and it’s always a showstopper. Packed with dried fruits, nuts, and a hint of spice, the real star is the generous splash of brandy (or rum, if you prefer). It’s moist, flavorful, and gets better with time, making it the ultimate make-ahead dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (225g) salted butter, softened
• 1 cup (225ml) milk
• 1¼ cups (250g) golden raisins
• 1¼ cups (250g) raisins
• ¾ cup (135g) dried pitted dates, roughly chopped
• ½ cup (100g) currants
• 1 cup (85g) candied orange or lemon peel, finely chopped
• 1⅓ cups (150g) walnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 cups (275g) all-purpose flour
• 2½ tsps pumpkin pie spice
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¾ cup (200g) golden syrup or light corn syrup
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 5 tbsps brandy, rum, or sherry, to feed the cake

Instructions

Prepare the Tin and Oven:

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a 9-inch round cake tin with parchment paper, ensuring it extends beyond the edges for easy removal.

Cook the Fruit Mixture:

In a large saucepan, combine the milk, golden syrup, butter, dates, golden raisins, raisins, currants, and candied peel. Gently heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the ingredients are well combined. Let it cool to room temperature.

Mix the Dry Ingredients:

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. Stir in the chopped walnuts to coat them in the flour.

Combine Everything:

Once the fruit mixture is cool, beat in the eggs one at a time. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake light.

Bake the Cake:

Spoon the batter into the lined cake tin, ensuring an even surface. Bake for 2 to 2½ hours, checking doneness with a skewer—it should come out clean when ready. If the top starts to darken too much, loosely cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.

Add the Boozy Goodness:

While the cake is still warm, poke holes across the top with a skewer and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of brandy (or your chosen spirit). Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.

Feed and Store:

Remove the cake from the tin and wrap it tightly in parchment paper and foil. Over the next few weeks, “feed” the cake with the remaining brandy every few days to deepen the flavor. Store in a cool, dark place.

For those who enjoy timeless desserts, you won’t want to miss our recipe for the perfect Maple Syrup Cake. It’s as comforting as the iconic Boozy Fruit Cake.

Boozy Fruit Cake

5 from 2 votes

This cake is rich, festive, and soaked with your favorite spirit, making it the perfect treat for celebrations.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 29 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 9 minutes mins

Servings: 11

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 420

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup 225g salted butter, softened
• 1 cup 225ml milk
• 1¼ cups 250g golden raisins
• 1¼ cups 250g raisins
• ¾ cup 135g dried pitted dates, roughly chopped
• ½ cup 100g currants
• 1 cup 85g candied orange or lemon peel, finely chopped
• 1⅓ cups 150g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 cups 275g all-purpose flour
• 2½ tsps pumpkin pie spice
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¾ cup 200g golden syrup or light corn syrup
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 5 tbsps brandy rum, or sherry, to feed the cake

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a 9-inch round cake tin with parchment paper, ensuring it extends beyond the edges for easy removal.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the milk, golden syrup, butter, dates, golden raisins, raisins, currants, and candied peel. Gently heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the ingredients are well combined. Let it cool to room temperature.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. Stir in the chopped walnuts to coat them in the flour.
4. Once the fruit mixture is cool, beat in the eggs one at a time. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake light.
5. Spoon the batter into the lined cake tin, ensuring an even surface. Bake for 2 to 2½ hours, checking doneness with a skewer—it should come out clean when ready. If the top starts to darken too much, loosely cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.
6. While the cake is still warm, poke holes across the top with a skewer and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of brandy (or your chosen spirit). Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.
7. Remove the cake from the tin and wrap it tightly in parchment paper and foil. Over the next few weeks, “feed” the cake with the remaining brandy every few days to deepen the flavor. Store in a cool, dark place.

Nutritional Information (per slice, serves 12)

• Calories: 420
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 15g
• Carbohydrates: 65g
• Sugar: 40g
• Fiber: 3g

Conclusion

This Boozy Fruit Cake is a labor of love, but trust me, it’s worth every minute. With its rich blend of fruits and the warmth of brandy, it’s like a celebration in every bite. Make it ahead, take your time feeding it, and watch it transform into the star of your festive table. Cheers to happy baking!