3 Ingredient Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake

Introducing the famous 3 Ingredient Christmas Cake (fruit cake) made from mixed fruit, iced coffee and self-raising flour!

An award-winning, traditional Christmas cake recipe that is so easy to prepare and makes a delicious treat over the holiday season.

Everybody loves 3 ingredient recipes, right!? And this 3 Ingredient Christmas Cake is the best Christmas cake recipe!

It was originally a CWA (Country Women's Association) recipe that's become famous thanks to its simplicity-no fuss, just three ingredients!

If you're looking for a rich fruit cake (that's also a super moist cake!), then you've come to the right place. Let's get into the holiday spirit and start baking...

Looking for more sweet and simple Christmas recipes?

Try my Christmas Cookies, Classic Chocolate Rocky Road, and White Christmas Slice, this recipe is fun and delicious for both kids and adults during the holidays!

What You Need

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method!

If you don't believe that you can make the most AMAZING, easy Christmas cake recipe using just 3 ingredients, try this, and I promise you'll change your mind! All you need is:

• mixed dried fruit (see below for details)
• iced coffee (or a liquid substitute - see below for substitutions)
• self-raising flour - or make your own self raising flour using plain (all-purpose flour), baking powder and salt

Equipment Required

To make this easy Christmas fruit cake, you will need:

• large mixing bowl
• spoon
• 23cm (9-inch) round cake tin with the sides of the tin lined with greaseproof paper
• oven

Step By Step Instructions

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 - Prepare The Fruit

This cake requires the fruit to be soaked overnight, so it cannot be prepared at the last minute!

But the depth of flavour and the moistness of the cake is SO worth the extra soaking time.

Start prepping this three-ingredient Christmas cake mixture one day before baking. Mix the dried fruit and iced coffee (or liquid substitute) in a large bowl or container and refrigerate overnight.

This allows the dried fruit to soak up the liquid and become plump... which then results in a beautiful and moist fruit cake when baked.

Step 2 - Mix The Flour and Fruit

On the day of baking, mix through the self-raising flour and pour the cake batter into the prepared tin. 

Step 3 - Bake The Cake

Bake for approximately 1 hour or until the cake feels firm in the middle and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

What Is Mixed Dried Fruit?

Mixed dried fruit can be bought pre-packaged from the dried fruit/nuts section of any major supermarket.

I like to use the Sunbeam Mixed Fruit, which contains sultanas (a type of grape), currants, raisins, orange zest, lemon zest, and glace cherries.

However, you can use absolutely any brand of mixed dried fruit you like.

If you grew up eating (and disliking) traditional fruit cake with candied fruits (which is common in the States), using dried fruits will make all the difference! Instead of tasting processed or dry, this fruit cake is moist and full of real fruit flavour.

Iced Coffee Substitutes

For this recipe, I like to use store-bought creamy iced coffee that is slightly sweetened. You can use many different brands of iced coffee.

Please note that for the best results, I recommend using creamy iced coffee (not black iced coffee).

Or substitute the iced coffee for:

• orange juice, apple juice or pineapple juice
• black tea
• coffee
• chocolate milk

Adding Alcohol To Christmas Fruit Cake

If you'd like to add alcohol to your fruit cake recipe, here are the types that work best:

• brandy
• whisky
• sherry
• dark rum
• orange-flavoured liqueur 
• Baileys Irish cream (make your own!)
• Kahlua Coffee Liquer
• port

Simply substitute 100ml of your chosen liquid (e.g., iced coffee or juice) with 100ml of your chosen alcohol.

Storing & Serving Fruit Cake

This fruit cake can be stored in a cool place for up to one month. To store, simply wrap it in foil or place it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Serve at room temperature or warm it up and serve with a drizzle of cream or custard (brandy custard is delicious, too).

Baking Fruit Cake

Temperature

Cook our famous 3-Ingredient Christmas Cake at 160 degrees Celsius fan-forced (320 degrees Fahrenheit). If using a conventional oven (not fan-forced), increase the temperature to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).

Time

We recommend cooking this cake for approximately 1 hour. However, as ovens vary, you might need to increase the cooking time by up to 30 minutes or even longer.

Testing If The Cake Is Cooked

The cake is cooked if the middle is firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.

What To Do If The Cake Is Browning Too Much

If your cake browns too quickly, simply place a sheet of foil loosely over the top and continue baking.

FAQs

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