Mary Berry Light Farmhouse Fruit Cake

Mary Berry's light farmhouse fruit cake is a proper British classic — moist, packed with dried fruit, and wonderfully easy to make.

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1 15

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 2 10

Servings: 12 Slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Fruit Cake:
225 g unsalted butter softened
225 g light muscovado sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
225 g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp whole milk
350 g mixed dried fruit
50 g glacé cherries halved, rinsed and dried
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
Zest of 1 unwaxed orange
Topping:
2 tbsp flaked almonds
1 tbsp demerara sugar optional

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / Gas 3. Grease and double-line a deep 20cm round cake tin.
Beat butter and muscovado sugar together for 4–5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add a spoonful of flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
Sift in flour, baking powder, mixed spice, and cinnamon. Fold gently. Add milk and fold again.
Add mixed dried fruit, glacé cherries, lemon zest, and orange zest. Fold until evenly distributed.
Spoon into prepared tin and level the top. Scatter flaked almonds and demerara sugar over the surface.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cover top with parchment if it browns too quickly.
Cool in tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Rinse glacé cherries and toss in a little flour to stop them sinking.
Double-line the tin sides to prevent over-browning.
Do not open the oven door in the first hour of baking.
This cake improves over 2–3 days — make it ahead if possible.
Store wrapped in parchment and foil at room temperature for up to 1 week.