Mocha Fruit Cake

This isn’t your doorstop Christmas fruit cake. It’s a clever, pared-back bake with just a handful of ingredients, where coffee and chocolate give the dried fruit a rich, grown-up, mocha depth.

The overnight soak is the whole secret. Letting the dried fruit steep in coffee overnight plumps it up, so it drinks in the liquid and turns soft and juicy, while the coffee lends a mellow, roasted bitterness that balances the fruit’s sweetness. That soaking liquid also provides the moisture, which is why there’s no butter or added sugar needed.

The next day, it’s barely a recipe: mix the soaked fruit with chocolate and flour, then bake low and slow for a couple of hours until set. The long bake suits the dense, moist batter, letting the centre cook through gently. Keep an eye on it toward the end.

Chef Tips

• Don’t skip the overnight soak. It’s what makes the fruit plump and the cake moist.
• Bake low and slow. This dense cake needs time for the middle to cook without burning the edges.
• Test the centre with a skewer before pulling it, since bake times vary with the fruit and tin.

Variations

• Use a mix of dried fruit: raisins, sultanas, currants, cranberries, or chopped dates.
• Stir in chopped nuts or a little orange zest for extra flavour.
• Swap some coffee for tea, or for a splash of liqueur if you want it boozy.