There are some foods that, even when they’re just OK, are still satisfying to eat. For example, a cheap frozen pizza is usually going to hit the spot, even if it’s average at best.
But the same cannot be said for fruit cake, despite it being a staple of Christmas desserts.
Fruit cake is one of those dishes that has to be just right to be good. A little burnt or dry? No thanks. Too much dried fruit, or worse, not enough? It’s going in the bin.
Here at taste, we take our fruit cake very seriously (as everyone should) and we’ve spent years testing and perfecting the best recipes out there.
The best (and easiest) fruit cake recipe
It’s hard to look past one of our most viral, top-rated fruit cake recipes of all time. It gets rave reviews from Aussie home cooks for being “so easy” and “almost foolproof” to make.
Originally created by a taste member, This recipe has been triple-tested by our expert food editors, to ensure it’s the best of the best.
The secret to this winning cake? It’s a staple you’ve probably got sitting in your pantry already.
The secret to our most popular Christmas fruit cake
It has everything we love about a classic British fruit cake, but with a decidedly Aussie twist.
The recipe starts with an undrained can of crushed pineapple in juice.
According to home cooks, this “really adds to the taste”, without adding a whole heap of extra ingredients (and prep time).
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Why should you add canned pineapple to fruit cake?
Adding pineapple to your fruit cake will give it a naturally sweet boost and improve the texture, says recipe tester Alison Adams.
“It is the natural juices that contribute to the wonderfully moist texture of our cake,” she explains.
If you can’t find crushed pineapple, you can buy regular canned pineapple and give it a quick blitz in a food processor.
“Be careful not to buy the ones in syrup, which would result in a drier texture,” Alison says.
Why is this boiled pineapple fruit cake so popular?
What makes this recipe a winner with our audience is the fact that it skips out a lot of the more time-consuming steps of traditional fruit cake, without sacrificing on flavour.
There’s no need to macerate the dried fruit overnight or cream the butter and sugar beforehand. You just start with the crushed pineapple in a saucepan and gradually stir in the other ingredients.
“We love how foolproof this recipe is, making it an ideal recipe for new bakers who want to contribute to the Christmas menu, but may be a bit unnerved,” says Alison.
“We also like that where the dried fruit and nuts that go into a Christmas cake can be a bit expensive, using a combination of mixed dried fruit and a can of pineapple makes it super budget-friendly.”
What home cooks are saying about our pineapple boiled fruit cake
This budget and beginner-friendly cake is universally loved by our taste audience, many of whom say they have been making it for years and it “never fails”.
“I’ve been making this fruit cake for the past 40 years,” Malou says, leaving a five-star review.
“Very easy to put together and keeps really well. It’s the best and I’ll be making it for the next 40.”
It gets extra points for being highly adaptable, with several saying they swap out or even omit certain ingredients but still get a great end result.
“Lovely recipe. I added an extra tablespoon of sherry, a teaspoon of ginger as well as some glacé, also nuts (pistachios and macadamia), dried cranberries,” LindaS said in her five star review.
“Cooked in just a smidge over 1 hour. Not dense, delicious flavour. Will make again.”
How to make pineapple boiled fruit cake
With just three steps and 10 minutes of prep involved, this cake is dead easy to make.
First, grease and line a round cake pan with baking paper, making sure to extend it five centimetres over the top of the pan and preheat your oven to 180°C.
Next, combine your pineapple (don’t drain out the juice!) with your dried fruit, vanilla extract, sherry, sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. After bringing it to the boil, let it simmer uncovered for five minutes.
After allowing your fruit mixture to cool, add in eggs, sifted flour, self-raising flour, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Spoon your mixture in your prepared pan and bake for an hour and a half.
Merry Christmas.
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Other Christmas fruit cake recipes you must try
Looking for more fruit cake inspiration for the festive season? We don’t blame you!
Here are some more fruit cake recipes we can’t get enough of:
Mum’s fruit cake by Matt Preston
“Compared to most of my recipes, this one does seem like a lot of palaver, but it’s well worth the effort,” says Matt Preston.
“Yes, it does take hours to make and prepare, and yes, it is also true all these steps may not be necessary. Having said that, this is my mother’s recipe and I’m just too scared to fiddle with it.”
Classic fruit cake
Our classic recipe falls into the category of ‘boiled fruit’ cakes which means rather than soaking the dried fruit in alcohol they are just simmered together briefly and set aside to steep and cool. Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients, it’s a super simple recipe, with very little prep and just a bit of stirring required.
4-ingredient Milo fruit cake
“I love serving this as the Christmas season rolls around because it’s so incredibly nostalgic but can also be served cold, so you’re not too hot in our Aussie summer!” says recipe creator Tracey Rutherford.
“The chocolate complements those classic fruit cake flavours, making this a recipe that you’ll be turning back to again and again.”
