Let me show you how to make this super quick and moist Christmas loaf cake recipe. It is honestly so easy to make, and it tastes absolutely delicious. You will probably want to make it all the time, not just for the holidays.
Watch the Christmas loaf cake recipe video below to see how easy it is step by step. If you find it helpful, give it a like. And don’t forget to subscribe for more simple, cozy baking recipes you’ll actually want to make.
What Makes This Simple Christmas Fruit Cake So Good
This cake is the opposite of those heavy, old-school fruitcakes that need to soak for days and sit for a week before you can even eat them. You don’t need alcohol, you don’t need a mixer, and you don’t need to plan ahead.
This Christmas loaf cake is rich and moist, but still light enough to eat fresh out of the oven. Just mix it up, bake it, and you’re eating warm fruit cake in about an hour.
The best part? It’s flexible. You can use the dried fruits and nuts you already have in your pantry, so it’s easy to make your own version. I’ve made this with all kinds of fruit combos, and it always turns out great.
I’ve made this cake a dozen times, sometimes with just what’s in the cupboard, and it always turns out right. It’s a great go-to recipe when you want something festive that’s actually easy and enjoyable to make.
Ingredients for a Moist Christmas Loaf Cake
This recipe uses simple ingredients that you probably already have. The only thing you might need to pick up is a few types of dried fruit.
Dry Ingredients
- 200g plain flour (about 1½ cups)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt (optional, but I use it if the butter is unsalted)
Wet Ingredients
- 225g unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
- 150g sugar (¾ cup)
- 3 large eggs
- 60ml milk (¼ cup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Fruit and Nut Mix
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- 100g sultanas
- 50g raisins
- 50g currants or chopped dates
- 50g glacé cherries, halved
- 50g chopped candied peel
- 50g chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pecans all work)
Top Tip: If your dried fruits seem a little tough or dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain well before adding them to the batter. This helps them stay soft in the cake.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need anything fancy for this one.
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer or hand whisk
- Sieve
- Rubber spatula
- Loaf pan (standard size, about 9×5 inches)
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups or a kitchen scale
Note: Lining the loaf pan with parchment makes it easier to lift the cake out after baking, especially if you’re gifting it or want clean slices.
How to Make This Easy Christmas Fruit Cake
Here’s how to put it all together. It takes about 15-20 minutes to prep, then 50-60 minutes in the oven. You’ll be eating it in under two hours, start to finish.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer.
Step 3: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, so the batter stays smooth and doesn’t curdle.
Step 4: Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Add a pinch of salt if you’re using unsalted butter. Mix just until combined.
Step 5: Add the vanilla, almond extract, and milk. Give it a quick mix to bring the batter together.
Step 6: Fold in the dried fruits and chopped nuts using a spatula. Don’t overmix. Just stir until everything’s evenly spread through the batter.
Step 7: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top gently with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Step 8: If you want, sprinkle a few extra cherries, raisins, or chopped nuts on top. This makes it look festive once baked.
Step 9: Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.
Step 10: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
Top Tip: If the top is browning too fast but the inside still needs time, just cover it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
How Long Does It Take?
This cake takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes total.
- 15-20 minutes prep
- 50-60 minutes baking
- 30 minutes minimum to cool
You can slice and eat it the same day, but it’s even better the next day once the flavors settle a bit more.
What This Christmas Cake Tastes Like
This Christmas loaf cake is soft and moist all the way through. It’s not overly sweet, but the fruit gives it little pops of flavor and just enough richness. The texture is smooth with a bit of chew from the fruit, and if you added nuts, there’s a nice little crunch too.
Related Recipe: Try Sri Lankan Breudher, a unique blend of bread and cake, and a soft, buttery yeasted Christmas cake with a uniquely rich flavor.
Super Moist Christmas Loaf Cake Recipe for Last-Minute Baking
10
servings15
minutes1
hour370
kcal1
hour15
minutesIf you’ve ever wanted a fruit cake that’s actually soft, moist, and ready the same day, this Christmas loaf cake is the one. No soaking, no waiting, no weird ingredients, just simple, festive baking that actually tastes good.
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Ingredients
2 to 3 cups (300 to 400 grams) dried fruits and nuts
1 cup (225 grams) butter
¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
3 large eggs
1½ cups (200 grams) plain flour
1½ teaspoons (about 6 grams) baking powder
¼ cup (60 millilitres) milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Directions
- Cream 225g butter with 150g sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add 3 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
- Sift in 200g plain flour and 1½ tsp baking powder, then mix gently.
- Stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp almond extract, and 60ml milk.
- Fold in 300-400g of mixed dried fruits and chopped nuts.
- Pour into a lined loaf tin and smooth the top.
- Sprinkle a few extra fruits or nuts on top if you like.
- Bake at 170°C (338°F) for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin, then lift out and slice.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Dried Fruit Swaps That Work: You can use any mix of raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped dates, or dried apricots. Just keep the total amount of dried fruit between 300 and 400 grams for the batter to stay balanced.
- Don’t Overload With Fruit: A lot of people think more fruit makes it better, but it throws off the structure. Keep it around 300 to 400 grams. That’s enough for flavor without weighing down the batter.
- Don’t Let the Batter Sit Around: Once you’ve mixed in the fruit, get the batter straight into the tin and into the oven. If it sits on the counter, the fruit starts sinking, and the batter loses structure. That’s how you end up with all the fruit at the bottom.
- Avoiding a Dry Texture: Overbaking is the most common reason this cake turns out dry. Start checking at 50 minutes, and take it out as soon as a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Make it look festive: Once the cake is cool, dust the top with powdered sugar. It gives it that snowy holiday look with zero effort. You can also drizzle a quick icing and top with a few extra glacé cherries or chopped pistachios.
- Want a stronger holiday flavor?: Swap half the vanilla for orange extract or add a little ground cinnamon or mixed spice. Just a small pinch gives the cake a warm, seasonal edge without needing a whole spice blend.
- Mini loaves or muffins work too: The Same batter works in smaller tins or muffin trays. Just reduce the baking time, start checking at 25 minutes. It’s a nice way to make individual treats or freeze extras.
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 10
- Calories: 370kcal
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Protein: 5g
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Ingredient Swaps and Shortcuts
One of the best things about this recipe is how flexible it is.
- No sultanas? Use all raisins.
- Don’t like candied peel? Skip it.
- Only have one kind of nut? That’s fine.
- Want to leave the nuts out completely? Still works.
Top Tip: Just make sure the total amount of dried fruit and nuts is around 300 to 400 grams. That way the balance of batter to mix-ins stays right.
How to Store and Freeze
This cake keeps well for several days if stored properly.
- Wrap it tightly in plastic or foil and keep it at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- For longer storage, wrap it again in foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw it at room temperature before slicing.
Note: Don’t store this in the fridge. It can dry the cake out faster.
More Fruit Cake Recipes on My YouTube Channel
If you liked this Christmas loaf cake, there are more of my fruit cake recipes waiting for you on YouTube. Some are quick, some take a bit more time, but they all turn out great. Check them out, give the Christmas loaf cake video a like, and subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
- Simple Semolina Fruit Cake (Suji Cake) – A light, tender semolina-based fruit cake that comes together easily and has a lovely soft, buttery crumb. Perfect if you want something simple yet a little different from the classic loaf
- The Best Moist Fruit Cake Recipe I Have Ever Made! – A rich, ultra-moist fruit cake packed with flavor, this one is a bit more traditional and incredibly reliable when you want a show-stopping result.
- Bread Maker Fruit Loaf – Perfectly Moist & Crumbly – A wonderfully easy fruit loaf you can make right in your bread machine, giving you a perfectly soft, crumbly texture with almost no effort.
Baking this Christmas loaf cake? Let me know how it turns out. Got a question or want to tweak something? Ask in the comments. Tried it with your own mix of fruits or nuts? I’d love to hear what you used.