Moist Christmas Fruit Cake with Marzipan and Fondant
A dense, moist fruit cake with soaked dried fruit, warm spices, marzipan, fondant, and a drippy glaze.
Equipment
- 8 inch round cake pan, 3 inches deep
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 10 oz raisins
- 5 oz dried apricots chopped small
- 2 ½ oz mixed candied peel diced
- 5 oz candied cherries chopped
- 6 oz dates chopped
- 1 cup apple juice plus 2 tbsp, or use 1/3 brandy and 2/3 juice
- 4 oz unsalted butter softened, 1 stick
- 1 ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup neutral oil
- 3 tbsp molasses
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts optional
- 8 oz marzipan ready to roll, for covering
- 8 oz white fondant ready to roll, for covering
- ½ cup powdered sugar for the glaze
- 2 tbsp milk for the glaze
- 12 candied cherries dusted with powdered sugar, for decorating
Instructions
Cooking
- Soak. Mix the dried fruit with the juice and soak for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Mix. Beat the butter and sugar, then mix in the oil, molasses, salt, spices, and eggs. Stir in the fruit and liquid, then fold in the flour, baking powder, and walnuts.
- Bake. Pour into a lined 8 inch pan and bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool. Cool completely in the pan and on a rack before decorating.
- Decorate. Cover with marzipan, then fondant, and finish with the glaze and cherries.
Notes
Substitutions: Use all apple juice in place of brandy, or dried cranberries in place of some of the fruit.
Tips: Do not taste the raw batter. Cool the cake fully before icing. Some alcohol remains in the baked cake if you use brandy.
Storage: Keep the decorated cake airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days, then refrigerate for up to 1 more week. Freeze the undecorated cake for up to 3 months.