Boiled Fruit Cake

This is the fruit cake that converts fruit cake haters. The secret? Boiling the fruit, butter, brown sugar, and spices together before they ever meet the flour.

That 10-minute simmer does something magical. The raisins and figs plump up and drink in the cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The brown sugar dissolves into a fragrant, spiced syrup that infuses every crumb of the finished cake.

Once cooled, beaten eggs, flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar fold in to create a dense, moist batter that bakes into a loaf with a deep mahogany color and a flavor that gets better with each passing day.

Pro Tips

• Let the boiled mixture cool completely before adding eggs and flour. Hot liquid will cook the eggs on contact and give you a lumpy batter.
• Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest overnight. The flavors deepen considerably.
• Optional nuts add a welcome crunch. Walnuts or pecans work best.
• This cake freezes like a champ for up to 3 months. Wrap well in plastic, then foil.