Ingredients

Dried fruit

• 150 g raisins

• 120 g dried apricots, chopped

• 80 g dried cranberries

• 50 g dates, finely chopped

• 80 ml orange juice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Nuts

• 80 g walnuts, chopped

• 60 g almonds, chopped

• 40 g pecans, chopped

Cake batter

• 180 g unsalted butter, softened

• 150 g brown sugar

• 50 g white sugar

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Zest of 1 orange

• 220 g all-purpose flour

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• 120 ml milk

• 2 tbsp honey

Optional for extra moisture

• 2 tbsp apricot jam

• 1–2 tbsp orange juice for brushing after baking

 Detailed Method

1. Prepare the dried fruit

Put the raisins, chopped apricots, cranberries and dates into a bowl.

Heat the 80 ml orange juice until warm and pour it over the fruit.

Add vanilla, mix, cover and leave for 30 minutes.

This softens the fruit and helps keep the finished cake moist.

2. Prepare the nuts

Roughly chop the walnuts, almonds and pecans.

For better flavor, toast them in a dry pan over low-medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Allow them to cool.

3. Prepare the cake pan

Use an 8-inch round, preferably deep cake pan.

Grease the pan with butter and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to:

160°C / 320°F

A slightly lower temperature helps this dense fruit cake bake evenly without becoming too dark outside.

4. Cream the butter and sugar

Beat the softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar for approximately 3–4 minutes until lighter and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add:

• Vanilla

• Orange zest

• Honey

Mix until combined.

5. Mix the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl combine:

• Flour

• Baking powder

• Baking soda

• Salt

• Cinnamon

• Nutmeg

• Cloves

Whisk together.

6. Make the batter

Add approximately ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

Mix gently.

Add half of the milk.

Repeat:

flour → milk → flour → remaining milk → flour

Mix only until combined. Don’t overmix.

7. Add the fruit and nuts

Drain any excess liquid from the soaked fruit.

Fold the fruit and toasted nuts into the batter using a spatula.

The batter should be very thick and packed with fruit and nuts.

8. Fill the pan

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.

Spread it evenly and gently press the batter down to remove large air pockets.

Smooth the top with a spatula.

 9. Bake

Bake at 160°C / 320°F for approximately 55–70 minutes.

Start checking at 55 minutes.

Insert a wooden skewer into the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

If the top becomes dark too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil during the final 20 minutes.

 10. Make it extra moist

While the cake is still warm, mix:

• 2 tbsp apricot jam

• 1–2 tbsp orange juice

Warm briefly until loosened.

Brush this mixture over the top of the cake.

This gives the cake the shiny, moist finish visible in the reference.

 11. Cool

Leave the cake in the pan for 15–20 minutes.

Remove it and place it on a cooling rack.

For the best texture, allow it to cool completely before cutting.

For an even richer, softer texture, wrap it tightly and let it rest overnight before serving.

 For the Texture in Your Photo

To get that compact but crumbly interior with large pieces of apricot and raisins:

• Don’t chop the dried fruit too finely.

• Don’t overmix the batter.

• Use room-temperature eggs and butter.

• Don’t overbake.

• Keep the oven around 160°C, rather than using very high heat.

• Let the finished cake rest overnight before slicing.

When cutting, use a sharp serrated knife and make thick slices.

 Approximate Nutrition

Assuming 12 servings:

These are estimates and will vary depending on the exact dried fruit, nuts, butter and portion size.

 Allergens

Contains wheat/gluten, eggs, milk/dairy, almonds, walnuts and pecans. For a nut-free version, replace the nuts with additional dried fruit or toasted pumpkin/sunflower seeds.