Mary Berry Fruit Cake Recipe

This dense, moist Mary Berry Fruit Cake is made with plump raisins, glacé cherries, and ground almonds, and ready in just under two hours. Slicing through the golden crust reveals jewel-like fruits perfectly suspended in the sponge rather than clustered at the base. I usually bake this on a Sunday afternoon when the house needs warming up.

Why This Classic Works

I used to struggle with heavy fruit cakes where all the good bits sank straight to the bottom of the tin. Washing and drying the cherries before folding them into this firm batter completely stops that from happening.

Using a combination of ground almonds and self-raising flour gives the crumb a delicate lightness. It keeps the cake tender for days, meaning you do not have to finish it all in one sitting.

Mary Berry Fruit Cake Ingredients

• 225g softened butter
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 150g sultanas
• 150g raisins
• 200g glacé cherries (rinsed, dried, and halved)

How To Make Mary Berry Fruit Cake

1. Prep the tin: Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Grease and line an 8-inch deep round cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Cream the base: Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together in a large bowl until pale, light, and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs: Whisk in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of your measured flour with each egg to stop the mixture from curdling.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients: Gently fold in the remaining self-raising flour and the ground almonds using a metal spoon or spatula.
5. Mix in the fruit: Tip in the sultanas, raisins, and prepared glacé cherries, folding gently until they are evenly distributed through the batter.
6. Bake the cake: Spoon the mixture into your lined tin, level the top, and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool down: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips

• Wash the cherries: Rinsing the sticky syrup off the glacé cherries and drying them stops them from sinking to the bottom.
• Watch the oven temperature: Baking low and slow prevents the outside from burning before the dense middle cooks through.
• Use room temperature eggs: Cold eggs will cause your creamed butter and sugar mixture to split instantly.
• Check early: Ovens vary, so test the center with a skewer at the 1 hour 15 minute mark to avoid a dry cake.

What To Serve With Fruit Cake

A thick slice pairs naturally with a strong pot of English breakfast tea or a freshly brewed coffee. If you want to serve it as a dessert, offer it with a sharp mature cheddar cheese.

How To Store

Keep the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. You can also wrap it tightly in a double layer of cling film and freeze it for up to three months.

FAQs

• Why did my cake crack on top?
  The oven temperature was likely too high, causing the outside to set before the inside finished expanding. Next time, double-check your oven with an independent thermometer.
• Can I swap the dried fruit?
  Yes, you can substitute the sultanas and raisins for an equal weight of dried cranberries, chopped apricots, or mixed peel. Just keep the total fruit weight the same.
• Do I need to soak the fruit in alcohol?
  This specific recipe does not require soaking the fruit, making it a quicker everyday cake. If you want a boozy kick, you can soak the raisins in brandy overnight.
• Can I use plain flour instead?
  If you only have plain flour, add two level teaspoons of baking powder to the 225g of flour to mimic the lift of self-raising flour.

Nutrition

• Calories: 380
• Total Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Cholesterol: 85mg
• Sodium: 210mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 52g
• Protein: 6g

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Coconut Loaf Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Coffee Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Coffee Walnut Cake Recipe