Christmas Rum Soaked Fruit Cake
This rum soaked fruit cake ticks all the boxes. It’s seriously moist, packed with dried fruits, walnuts and soaked in spiced rum.
Team Fruit cake
I have to admit, I was sceptical about posting this recipe at first. Fruit cake has a bad reputation which I’m planning on restoring. This fruit cake recipe has been tested for over a year and is nothing like the store bought dry fruit cakes packed with jellied fruits. It’s evenly moist and tender with a soft crumb. The cake is filled with dried raisins, cranberries, apricots, dates and candied ginger for a nice kick. Additionally, chopped walnuts provide a crunch and spiced rum moistens and gives the fruit cake beautiful aromas. This cake can be aged from 2 weeks to several months, depending on how boozy you want it to be. Most importantly, it comes together so easily. No special skills required besides time for it to soak the rum properly. I’m sure after you try this recipe, fruit cake will be a Christmas favorite!
Ingredients for rum fruit cake
- Dried Fruits: It wouldn’t be a fruit cake without lots of dried fruits. The recipe uses a combination of dried dark raisins, craisins, apricots and dates. They offer different textures and moisten the cake. Other dried fruits you can use are golden raisins, figs, prunes, tart cherries and cranberries.
- Spiced Rum: Spiced rum has hints of ginger, cinnamon and allspice making it ideal for this festive fruit cake. Gold rum can also be used in place of spiced rum. The cake takes its deep color and fragrance from rum. The longer you soak the cake in rum the darker and stronger it will be. You can use Captain Morgan or Calypso spiced rum.
- Crystallized Ginger: Like many of the people that dislike rum soaked fruit cake I myself hate the glazed neon color fruits. They are way too sugary and really alter the cake’s flavor. Candied ginger was a huge revelation! They have a pungent flavor and a perfect balance of spiciness and sweetness. A small amount goes a long way.
- All Purpose Flour: If you scroll down to the recipe card you will realize that 80 percent of this cake is fruits. Too much flour is most of the times the reason why fruit cakes turn out dry and heavy. The flour is just enough to support the filling and along with the eggs bind everything together.
How to make Christmas rum fruit cake
The process of making rum soaked fruit cake doesn’t differ a lot from baking a regular cake. First you combine all the dried fruits and soak them overnight in spiced rum. When ready to bake, cream sugar and butter, then add the eggs. Incorporate the dry ingredients, then the dried fruits mixture along with candied ginger and walnuts. Bake in low heat until golden brown. Last step of the process is the rum soaking part. Rum will balance the sweetness and give a beautiful dark color to the cake. There you have it! A perfectly moist, spiced rum fruit cake.
Captain Morgan spiced rum is the best way to go. It has subtle vanilla and caramel flavor and it’s beautifully spiced. Calypso Spiced rum is also another great alternative. Brandy can also be used as a substitute.
Yes. For an alcohol free version of fruit cake, you can use orange juice. However, the cake can’t be aged and stored as long as the ones using alcohol. If using orange juice the cake should be consumed within 2 weeks.
Yes. You may freeze rum fruit cake into a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Make sure the cake has been aged for at least 2 weeks before freezing.
Fruit Cake Convert
This is the only recipe you need for the best rum fruit cake. By the end of this recipe, you will be a fruit cake convert. Fruit cakes are also perfect for gifting. No offence to festive cookies, but a boozy dessert packed with fruits sounds like the perfect holiday adult treat. If you decide to give the recipe a go, make sure you leave a comment below sharing your experience. Happy baking!
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Christmas Rum Soaked Fruit Cake
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
- cheese cloth
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
Dried Fruits Filling
- 1 cup Dried Dark Raisins
- 2 cups Dried Cranberries
- 1 cup Dried Apricots chopped
- 1 cup Dried Dates chopped
- 1/2 cup Spiced Rum
Fruit Cake
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Brown Sugar light or dark brown
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened to room temperature
- 4 Eggs at room temperature
- 2 oz Crystalised Ginger chopped
- Orange Peel optional
- 1 cup Walnuts
- 1/4 cup Spiced Rum
Soaking
- Spiced Rum as needed
Instructions
Dried Fruits Filling
- Add dried raisins, cranberries, apricots and dates in a large bowl and pour over the spiced rum. Stir all together making sure all dried fruits are coated evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to a dry and dark place for 24 hours. A kitchen cupboard will work perfect.1 cup Dried Dark Raisins, 2 cups Dried Cranberries, 1 cup Dried Apricots, 1 cup Dried Dates, 1/2 cup Spiced Rum
Fruit Cake
- Grease and line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 285°F (140 C).
- In a medium bowl stir together all purpose flour, pumpkin spice and salt. Set aside.2 cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice, 1/2 tsp Salt
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on, cream together brown sugar and unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth. Scape down the bowl when necessary.1 cup Brown Sugar, 1 cup Unsalted Butter
- Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. The mixture will look curdled. It's normal.4 Eggs
- With the mixer running on slow, gradually incorporate the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl when necessary.2 cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice, 1/2 tsp Salt
- Add the dried fruits mixture, crystalised ginger, orange peel and mix until just combined.1 cup Dried Dark Raisins, 2 cups Dried Cranberries, 1 cup Dried Apricots, 1 cup Dried Dates, 2 oz Crystalised Ginger, Orange Peel
- Mix in the walnuts. The batter should be thick.1 cup Walnuts
- Transfer fruit cake batter into a lined 9×5 loaf pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the cake is golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean with little to no crumbs.
- Place fruit cake on a cooling rack and pour over the spiced rum.1/4 cup Spiced Rum
- Allow rum fruit cake to cool down for at least 1 hour inside the loaf pan. Then remove from pan and let it completely cool down.
Soaking
- Dip a clean cheesecloth in a bowl filled with rum and let it sit for a few minutes.Spiced Rum
- Place a layer of aluminum foil on a clean flat surface.
- On top of the aluminum foil spread the rum soaked cheesecloth.
- Place the cold fruit cake on top of the cheesecloth and fold. Wrap the cake with the aluminum foil. Make sure the cake is sealed on all sides so air can't penetrate.
- Transfer the covered rum soaked fruit cake in a dry and dark place.
- Repeat the same process once a week for at least 2 weeks or up to several months. As the fruit cake ages and gets moist it will need less rum.
- When ready, remove aluminum foil and cheesecloth, cut into slices and serve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage Instructions: Rum soaked fruit cake will keep moist covered with aluminum foil at room temperature for weeks after slicing. You can also refrigerate them but bear in mind that its life expectancy will drop and it will get slowly drier. You may freeze fruit cake into a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Make sure the cake has been aged for at least 2 weeks before freezing.
- Have any questions about the recipe or want to ask for substitutions? Please contact us.
Tried this for Christmas and omg. So delicious.
Tried this recipe twice – planning a third time this year. It turned out to be very delicious (touchwood!). I earned a lot of envious looks from family and friends (including missus :-)) I did not get pumpkin spice. Instead of spice rum,, I used rum and added cloves and cinnamon while soaking the dry fruits. Works equally well. Another variation I tried was once the top was brown, I took out the cake briefly, poured rum on top,, covered it with aluminum foil and pushed it in the oven for another 10 minutes. It kept the top pleasantly soft. All in all – this is my go-to recipe at the time of Christmas. Thanks.
Could I use cinnamon powder instead of pumpkin spice? If not, is there an alternative to it?
Yes, you can definitely use only cinnamon. Otherwise, you can make your own pumpkin spice by combining 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1/8 tsp of ground cloves and ground nutmeg.
If I want to give this away,.I would want to remove the cheesecloth. How long will it last if there’s no cheesecloth included?
If it’s properly stored in a cintainer it will keep moist at room temperature for weeks after slicing. Before you gift it, I would suggest brushing the cake with more rum. It can also be refrigerated but it’s going to get dryer quicker this way.
U forgot to mention baking powder
This recipe doesn’t use baking powder.The cake will rise beautifully because the batter is dense. Plus, we incorporate the eggs one at a time which aerates the batter and gives volume. Hope that helps!
Hi, just to clarify on step 6, are you saying to unwrap the cake and add more rum, do you need to replace the cheesecloth at this time?
That is correct. You need to unwrap the cake, soak the cheesecloth in more rum and cover it. I typically check once a week and re-soak the cheesecloth in rum when it’s dry. The more you soak the cake the boozier it will be. No need to replace the cheesecloth. I dispose it once I’m done.
Why unwrap the cheesecloth and resoak it? Put your rum in a spray bottle, remove the foil, evenly spray 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of rum on the cheesecloth. It will easily soak into fruitcake.
I learned from my dad back in the 80s. Do this once a week for 4 to 6 weeks though his recipe was all fruit dates and nuts, no flour, no eggs
Hi! Thanks for sharing. Everyone has their preferred method. I find unwrapping the cake easier so I can test whether the cake is dry or moist and adjust the amount of rum accordingly.
Hello, does this recipe not need baking powder?
Hi there! No baking powder is required for this fruit cake recipe. The cake will still rise beautifully and once you infuse it with rum it will be perfectly moist.
Great! Thanks for letting me know!
hiii….can I use ginger extract instead of crystallized ginger?
I believe ginger extract would work fine. I would suggest using 1/4 tsp at first, taste it and adjust to your liking if you prefer more heat.
christianna
Can I use fruitcake fruits (cheeries,citron,dried pineapple) all the kinds you buy in the fruitcake fruits section in store.. I have a gallon glass jar in my refrigerator filled full and soaked in captain morgan for 5 years? I know it’s recommended to soak at least 2 years but do you think 5 yrs soaking will be okay to use? Thank you so much. Cherie
Hi there! You can use any type of candied fruits you like. I would avoid using fruits that have been stored for more than 2 years.
OMGosh, this is by far the best fruit cake recipe I have ever tried. I followed the recipe and it came out so perfectly. Thanks for sharing Siftnwhisk!
Thank you for trusting the recipe. So glad you liked it!