The Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fruit Cake Recipe

Let’s be honest: fruit cake has a bit of a reputation. For many, the mere mention of it conjures images of dry, heavy, unnaturally coloured bricks that get passed around during the holidays. But what if I told you there’s a fruit cake out there that could change everything you thought you knew? A cake so moist, rich, and deeply flavourful that it will convert even the most devoted skeptic.

This is that cake. Our Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fruit Cake is a modern masterpiece, a world away from the fruit cakes of yesteryear. It’s incredibly dark and fudgy, packed with tender dried fruits, and infused with the sophisticated notes of dark chocolate, rich coffee liqueur, and bright orange. This is the recipe that will make you fall in love with fruit cake, proving it can be one of the most luxurious and delicious cakes you’ll ever bake.

What You’ll Need: Ingredients

This cake is all about building deep, complex layers of flavour. The combination of dark fruits, rich muscovado sugar, chocolate, and coffee liqueur is simply divine.

this now & bake later ❤️

Timing

This is a slow-bake cake, a wonderful project for a quiet afternoon. While the total time is long, the active hands-on time is surprisingly short.

• Preparation Time: 25 minutes
• Standing Time: 30 minutes
• Bake Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes to 2 hours
• Total Time: Approximately 2 hours, 50 minutes (plus several hours for cooling)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these detailed steps to create a perfectly moist and flavourful chocolate fruit cake. The careful preparation of the tin is a crucial first step!

Step 1: How to Perfectly Line Your Cake Tin

This long, slow-baking cake needs protection from the oven’s heat to prevent the edges from burning. Preheat your oven to 150°C (130°C Fan) / 300°F / Gas Mark 2. For a 20cm / 8-inch round, deep cake tin, you’ll need to create a double-layered “top hat” liner.

Cut two circles of baking parchment to fit the bottom of the tin. Cut two long rectangles that are tall enough to stand about twice the height of the tin. Along one long edge of each rectangle, fold a 2cm / 1-inch “hem.” Use scissors to snip into this hem every 2cm / 1 inch to create a frilly edge.

Grease the tin, place one paper circle in the bottom, then fit one of the rectangles inside, pressing the frilly edge flat against the bottom circle. Repeat with the second rectangle. Finally, place the second paper circle on top to secure the frilly edges. For extra protection, wrap the outside of the tin with brown paper and tie it with kitchen twine.

Step 2: Simmer the Fruit and Flavour Base

In a large, wide saucepan, combine the prunes, raisins, currants, candied orange peel, butter, muscovado sugar, honey, Tia Maria, orange juice and zest, mixed spice, and cocoa powder. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring it gently to a boil, stirring occasionally as the butter melts. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes. This step plumps up the fruit and allows the flavours to meld beautifully.

Step 3: Cool the Mixture and Add Remaining Ingredients

After simmering, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it stand for at least 30 minutes. This cooling period is crucial—if the mixture is too hot when you add the eggs, they will scramble! Once the mixture has cooled to just warm, add the beaten eggs and stir them in with a wooden spoon or spatula. Next, add the plain flour, ground almonds, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Stir gently until all the ingredients are just combined. Do not overmix.

Step 4: The Long, Slow Bake

Pour the finished cake batter into your carefully prepared tin and smooth the top. Place the tin in the center of your preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. You’ll know the cake is ready when the top is firm to the touch but still has a shiny, sticky appearance.

Pro Tip: A cake tester or skewer inserted into the center of this particular cake will still come out a little gooey. This is what you want! It ensures the final cake is incredibly moist and fudgy.

Step 5: Cooling and Storing Your Cake

Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely in its tin. This cake is very dense and will hold its heat for a long time, so be patient. Once fully cooled, you can carefully remove it from the tin. If you’re not eating it right away, wrap it well in a layer of baking parchment and then a layer of foil.

Nutritional Information

This is a very rich and decadent cake, perfect for special occasions. Here is an estimated nutritional breakdown per slice, assuming the cake is cut into 16 slices.

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Protein: 6 g
• Carbohydrates: 60 g (Sugar: 45 g)
• Fat: 17 g (Saturated Fat: 8 g)

This cake is a wonderful source of energy, packed with flavour from dried fruits and rich sugars.

Healthier Alternatives

While this is an indulgent celebration cake, you can make a few small adjustments:

• Alcohol-Free Version: For a non-alcoholic version of this chocolate fruit cake, simply replace the 125ml of Tia Maria with an equal amount of strong, freshly brewed, and cooled coffee.
• Reduce Sugar: You can slightly reduce the amount of muscovado sugar and honey, though this will affect the cake’s final texture and keeping qualities.
• Flour Swap: For a slightly nuttier crumb, you can substitute the plain flour with whole wheat pastry flour.

Serving Suggestions

This rich and complex cake needs very little accompaniment to shine. It’s a showstopper all on its own.

• Simply Sliced: This cake is best served at room temperature in thin slices. Its flavour is so intense and satisfying that a small piece is all you need.
• With a Beverage: It is the perfect partner for a strong cup of black coffee, an espresso, or a cup of tea to balance its richness.
• Traditional Pairings: For a truly decadent dessert, serve a slice with a dollop of brandy butter, clotted cream, or even a piece of sharp, aged cheddar cheese—a classic pairing for rich fruit cake that provides a wonderful salty contrast.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Follow these tips to ensure your chocolate fruit cake is a spectacular success.

• Rushing the Cooling Step: Adding the eggs to the fruit mixture while it is still hot is a recipe for disaster, as the eggs will scramble.
  • Solution: Be patient and wait the full 30 minutes (or longer) for the mixture to cool down. It should feel only slightly warm to the touch before you proceed.
• Skipping the Tin Lining: The long, slow bake time means the edges of the cake are susceptible to burning if not properly protected.
  • Solution: Don’t skimp on the detailed tin-lining process. The double layer of parchment and the outer layer of brown paper act as insulation, ensuring a soft, moist cake from edge to center.
• Thinking the Cake is Undercooked: This cake is designed to be very moist and fudgy. Pulling it out of the oven when a skewer is completely clean will result in a dry cake.
  • Solution: Trust the recipe! The top should be firm, but the center will still be a little gooey on a cake tester. It will continue to set as it cools.

Storing and Make-Ahead Tips

This is the ultimate make-ahead cake. Its flavour actually improves and deepens over time!

• Storing: Once completely cooled, wrap the cake well in a fresh layer of baking parchment, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store it in an airtight tin in a cool, dark place. It will keep beautifully for several weeks, becoming even more moist and flavourful as it matures.
• Making Ahead for an Occasion: This is the perfect Christmas cake. You can bake it 3-4 weeks before the holidays to allow the flavours to fully develop.

Conclusion

This Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fruit Cake is a celebration in itself. It’s a rich, dark, and decadent cake that shatters all preconceived notions of what a fruit cake can be. The complex harmony of sweet dried fruits, deep chocolate, and rich coffee liqueur creates a truly unforgettable flavour experience that is perfect for holidays, special occasions, or any time you need a truly spectacular dessert.

We are so excited for you to try this recipe and discover just how incredible a fruit cake can be. Bake a loaf for your next celebration and let us know how it turns out in the comments below! Don’t forget to rate the recipe and subscribe for more show-stopping baking inspiration.

FAQs

Q1. Can I use a different type of coffee liqueur?

Yes, absolutely! Any brand of coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, will work perfectly in this recipe. You could even use a dark rum or brandy for a more traditional fruit cake flavour.

Q2. Can I make this chocolate fruit cake without any alcohol?

Certainly. The best non-alcoholic substitute for the Tia Maria is an equal amount (125ml) of strong, freshly brewed coffee that has been allowed to cool completely.

Q3. Can I use different dried fruits?

Yes, you can customize the fruit blend to your liking, as long as you keep the total weight of the fruit roughly the same. Dried cherries, figs, or dates would all be wonderful additions.

Q4. Does this cake need to be “fed” with more alcohol?

Unlike some traditional Christmas cakes, this recipe is so incredibly moist from the “boil and bake” method that it does not require periodic “feeding” with additional alcohol to keep it from drying out. It stays perfectly moist all on its own!

The Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fruit Cake Recipe

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• Author: Evelyn Marcella Rivera
• Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
• Yield: 16 slices 1x

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Description

What You’ll Need: Ingredients. Deep, complex layers of flavour from dark fruits, rich muscovado sugar, cocoa, and coffee liqueur—slow-baked for an unbelievably moist, fudgy crumb.

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

Fruit & Flavour Base

• 350 g prunes, scissored or chopped
• 250 g raisins
• 125 g currants
• 50 g candied orange peel, finely chopped
• 175 g soft unsalted butter
• 175 g dark brown muscovado sugar
• 175 ml runny honey
• 125 ml Tia Maria or other coffee liqueur
• 2 large oranges, zest and juice (about 125 ml / 1/2 cup juice)
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 4 Tbsp high-quality cocoa powder

To Finish the Batter

• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 150 g plain (all-purpose) flour
• 75 g ground almonds
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

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Instructions

1. Line the tin & preheat: Heat oven to 150°C (130°C fan) / 300°F / Gas 2. For a 20 cm / 8-inch deep round tin, grease and line with a double-layered parchment ‘top hat’: two base circles and two tall side collars snipped along a 2 cm hem; wrap the exterior with brown paper and tie with kitchen twine.
2. Simmer fruit & flavour base: In a large saucepan, combine prunes, raisins, currants, candied peel, butter, muscovado sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange zest and juice, mixed spice, and cocoa. Bring gently to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stand & add remaining ingredients: Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes to cool (very important so eggs don’t scramble). Stir in beaten eggs, then fold in flour, ground almonds, baking powder, and bicarbonate until just combined.
4. Slow bake: Pour batter into lined tin; smooth top. Bake 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. The top should be firm yet shiny and sticky. A skewer may emerge with gooey crumbs—that’s perfect for a moist, fudgy finish.
5. Cool & store: Cool completely in the tin on a rack (it stays hot for hours). Remove, then wrap well in baking parchment and foil if not serving right away.

Notes

Lining matters: The parchment ‘top hat’ plus brown paper wrap protect edges during the long bake. For extra indulgence, brush the warm cake with 1–2 Tbsp additional coffee liqueur.

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Category: Cake, Dessert
• Cuisine: British, Holiday

Nutrition

• Calories: 410
• Sugar: 45
• Fat: 17
• Saturated Fat: 8
• Carbohydrates: 60
• Protein: 6