Dark Rum Fruitcake

Dark Rum Fruitcake – Infused with Dark Rum & Spices

Ingredients

For the soaked fruits

• Mixed dried fruits (raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped dates, chopped apricots) – 3 cups (about 450 g)

• Mixed candied peel – ½ cup (75 g)

• Glacé cherries, halved – ½ cup (75 g)

• Dark rum – ¾ cup (180 ml)

• Zest of 1 orange

• Zest of 1 lemon

For the cake batter

• Unsalted butter, softened – 1 cup (225 g)

• Brown sugar – 1 cup (200 g)

• Eggs – 4 large

• All-purpose flour – 1¾ cups (220 g)

• Baking powder – 1 tsp

• Ground cinnamon – 1 tsp

• Ground nutmeg – ½ tsp

• Ground cloves – ¼ tsp

• Ground ginger – ½ tsp

• Salt – ¼ tsp

• Molasses or dark treacle – 2 tbsp

• Vanilla extract – 1 tbsp

• Additional dark rum for brushing – 2–3 tbsp

Instructions 

Begin by bringing the fruits to life. In a large bowl, combine the raisins, sultanas, currants, dates, apricots, candied peel, and cherries. Pour the dark rum over them, grate in the citrus zests, and stir until everything glistens. Cover the bowl and let the fruits soak overnight—or at least a few hours—until they are plump and fragrant with rum.

When it’s time to bake, let your oven settle at 150°C (300°F). Line a loaf pan or an 8-inch cake tin with parchment, making sure the parchment rises above the sides to protect the cake during its long, gentle bake.

Cream the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy and light, then let the eggs join in one by one, mixing slowly so the batter stays smooth. Fold in the molasses and vanilla, letting their dark aromas melt into the mixture.

In another bowl, whisk the flour with baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Gently fold these dry ingredients into the batter, creating a soft, spiced mixture that smells like the holidays.

Now scoop in the soaked fruits—rum and all—and fold them through until the batter is heavy with jewels of dried fruit. Spoon this thick mixture into your prepared tin, smoothing the top softly.

Slide the cake into the oven and let it bake low and slow for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, until the top is firm, the kitchen smells warm and spicy, and a skewer comes out clean. If the top begins to darken too quickly, cover it lightly with foil.

Once out of the oven, brush the warm cake with a little extra dark rum, letting it seep through the cracks for extra richness. Allow it to cool completely before slicing—or wrap it tightly and let it mature for days or weeks, brushing with rum occasionally to deepen the flavor.