A lighter fruit cake filled with candied peel, colourful cherries, raisins, warm spice and a touch of spiced rum.
Dietary labels are based on the listed ingredients. For allergies or celiac disease, verify every packaged ingredient and guard against cross-contamination.Original handwritten date: January 2026. Marked “approved by Donnie.”
FROM JO’S RECIPE NOTES
Why this recipe works
A 24-hour soak plumps the candied peel, cherries and raisins so they stay tender rather than drawing moisture from the cake.
Almond flour adds richness and a delicate crumb while the all-purpose flour provides enough structure to suspend the fruit.
Alternating the dry ingredients with milk keeps the butter-and-egg mixture emulsified and makes overmixing easier to avoid.
Jo’s handwritten January 2026 page records the finished loaf as “approved by Donnie”; no additional testing claim has been added.
Ingredient notes
Candied fruit
Quarter the glacé cherries and separate sticky pieces so they distribute evenly. The measured fruit is soaked rather than coated with extra flour.
Spiced rum
Measure 1/4 cup for soaking and no more than 2 tablespoons for an optional finish. Baking does not guarantee that all alcohol disappears.
Almond flour
Use finely ground blanched almond flour, not coarser almond meal, and break up lumps before mixing.
Lemon zest
Finely grate only the yellow outer peel; the white pith underneath is bitter.
Loaf pan
Use a light-coloured 9 x 5-inch metal pan. A smaller or dark pan changes the depth and browning and may require a different bake time.
Practical substitutions
These are conservative alternatives based on standard kitchen practice; results may vary from the original recipe.
For an alcohol-free version, soak the fruit in 1/4 cup orange juice under refrigeration and omit the rum finish.
Dried cranberries may replace some or all of the raisins by weight for a tarter flavour.
Choose either almond or coconut extract as recorded in the handwritten formula; almond tastes more traditional, while coconut gives a softer tropical note.
Troubleshooting
The fruit sinks
Quarter the cherries, use every drop of the measured soaking liquid and fold only until evenly distributed; do not thin the batter or add unmeasured liquid.
The mixture curdles after the eggs
Use room-temperature eggs, add them one at a time and beat in 1 tablespoon of the measured dry mixture if the emulsion begins to split.
The cake browns too quickly
Use a light metal pan and tent the loaf loosely with foil after about 45 minutes, then continue until the centre shows no wet batter.
The centre is gummy
Test through the cake portion rather than a fruit piece, bake until the centre springs back and cool completely before slicing.
Storage and freezing
Cool completely before wrapping. Refrigerate the loaf for up to 1 week and bring slices toward room temperature before serving.
Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw wrapped in the refrigerator so condensation stays off the cake.
If alcohol must be avoided, use orange juice for the refrigerated fruit soak and omit the optional rum finish; baking does not guarantee complete alcohol removal.
Do not taste raw batter. Wash hands, bowls, beaters and work surfaces with warm soapy water after contact with raw flour or egg.
THE BUTTER & BLOOM RECIPE
Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum
Print-friendly layout
Preparation time
25 min
Cooking time
1 hr 5 min
Total time
25 hrs 30 min
Yield
1 nine-by-five-inch loaf (10 slices)
Cuisine
North American
Updated
Ingredients
3/4 cup (120 g) candied mixed peel
1/2 cup (85 g) red and green glacé cherries, quartered
1/3 cup (50 g) raisins, stems removed
1/4 cup (60 mL) spiced rum, for soaking
Up to 2 tablespoons (30 mL) spiced rum, optional, for brushing
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond or coconut extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
1/2 cup (48 g) almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) milk, at room temperature
Detailed directions for Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum
Soak the fruit — Combine the candied peel, quartered cherries, raisins and 1/4 cup spiced rum in a non-reactive bowl. Cover tightly and leave at cool room temperature for 24 hours, stirring once or twice so the fruit hydrates evenly. For an alcohol-free version, use orange juice and refrigerate the covered fruit during the soak.Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum · AI instructional image: Cover the fruit with the measured rum and soak for 24 hours, stirring once or twice.
Prepare the oven and pan — Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a light-coloured 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan and line the long sides and bottom with a parchment sling, leaving overhang for lifting.Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum · AI instructional image: Preheat to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan.
Whisk the dry ingredients — In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt for about 30 seconds, breaking up any almond-flour lumps so the leavener is evenly dispersed.Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum · AI instructional image: Whisk thoroughly and break up the almond-flour lumps.
Cream and add the eggs — Beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping once, until paler and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time; if the mixture looks curdled, add 1 tablespoon of the measured dry ingredients. Mix in the vanilla, chosen almond or coconut extract and lemon zest.Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum · AI instructional image: Cream until pale, add eggs one at a time, then incorporate the extracts and zest.
Alternate dry ingredients and milk — With the mixer on low, add half of the dry mixture, then all of the milk, followed by the remaining dry mixture. Stop as soon as only a few flour streaks remain. Do not taste batter containing raw flour and eggs; wash hands, utensils and surfaces after contact.Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum · AI instructional image: Alternate dry ingredients and milk, stopping before the batter is overmixed.
Fold in the soaked fruit — Add the soaked fruit and every drop of the soaking rum. Fold with a flexible spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl, until the fruit is evenly distributed and no flour pockets remain. Do not add extra flour or discard the measured soaking liquid.Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum · AI instructional image: Fold in all the fruit and measured soaking liquid until evenly distributed.
Bake to a moist crumb — Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and level the top. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, rotating once if the oven browns unevenly. If the top is deeply browned after 45 minutes, tent it loosely with foil. The cake is done when the centre springs back lightly and a skewer inserted into cake rather than a fruit piece returns without wet batter; a few moist crumbs are fine.Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum · AI instructional image: Bake until the centre springs back and the skewer shows no wet batter.
Cool, finish and store — Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment sling to lift the loaf onto a rack. If desired, brush the warm top with up to 2 tablespoons measured rum; do not pour from the bottle. Cool completely before wrapping. Refrigerate well wrapped for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Baking and brushing do not guarantee that all alcohol is removed, so use orange juice and omit the finish when alcohol must be avoided.Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum · AI instructional image: Lift out after 10 minutes, brush lightly only if desired and cool completely before wrapping.
Keywords: light fruit cake with rum · fruit cake with candied peel · cherry raisin fruit cake · spiced rum fruit cake · light Christmas fruit cake · fruit cake without aging
Published · Updated
READER REVIEWS
Be the first to review
☆☆☆☆☆
Loading reviews…
COMMON QUESTIONS
Light Spiced Fruit Cake with Rum FAQ
Does this light fruit cake need to age?
No. It is ready once completely cool, though an overnight rest after baking helps the moisture and flavours settle evenly.
How long does this fruit cake take?
The estimated 25-hour-30-minute total covers the 24-hour fruit soak, 25 minutes of active preparation and a 65-minute midpoint bake. The 60- to 70-minute bake range and full cooling time can extend the elapsed time.
Can I make fruit cake without alcohol?
Yes. Replace the soaking rum with orange juice, refrigerate the fruit during the 24-hour soak and omit the optional rum brushing.
Does alcohol completely bake out of fruit cake?
Not necessarily. USDA retention data show that preparation method and cooking time affect how much alcohol remains, so use the alcohol-free variation when avoidance matters.
How do I know fruit cake is done?
The centre should spring back lightly, and a skewer inserted through cake rather than a fruit piece should show no wet batter. A few moist crumbs are acceptable.
What size loaf pan should I use?
Use a light-coloured 9 x 5-inch metal pan lined with a parchment sling. Smaller or dark pans make a deeper loaf and can overbrown before the centre is done.
KEEP EXPLORING
Recipes to make next
Continue with these closely related recipes from The Butter & Bloom kitchen.
