Old-Fashioned German Fruit Cake 🍒🍑🍞

A nostalgic holiday treat, rich with dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices. Moist, flavorful, and a tradition that gets even better with time!

Ingredients

For the Fruit Mixture

• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup raisins
• ½ cup dried apricots, chopped
• ½ cup candied orange peel, finely diced
• ½ cup candied lemon peel, finely diced
• ½ cup dark rum or brandy (for soaking)

For the Cake Batter

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

1. Prepare Fruit Mixture: Combine dried cherries, raisins, apricots, candied orange peel, and candied lemon peel in a bowl. Pour rum or brandy over fruit, mix, cover, and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Prepare Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and line a loaf pan or 8-inch round pan. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Stir in vanilla and citrus zests.
3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Gradually add to wet mixture until combined.
4. Combine Fruit & Nuts: Fold soaked fruit (with liquid) and nuts into batter until evenly distributed.
5. Bake: Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 1–1¼ hours, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
6. Optional Glaze: Brush cooled cake