Christmas Fruitcake with Rum (Cape Breton Recipe)
This recipe was adapted from a handwritten recipe given to me by Joan MacDonald of Inverness, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
If you’re looking for a moist fruitcake recipe, this Christmas fruitcake is a great option. It bakes into two loaves made with about ½ cup of butter each, plus strawberry jam, strong coffee, and rum for extra moisture. The finished loaves are tender, buttery, and loaded with dried fruit.
Fruitcake is often kept on hand in Nova Scotia homes throughout December, ready for visitors, neighbours, or family dropping by. This version comes from Joan MacDonald of Inverness, who passed her handwritten recipe along to me through my mother-in-law, Kathy, after hearing about the work I do.
I will say, if you’re looking for a quick recipe, this is not it. With 25 ingredients, the prep alone takes about 45 minutes, and the loaves take over an hour to bake. But if you want a classic, traditional, old-fashioned fruitcake that feels at home on a tray with squares and cookies, this is a good one.
I’ve adapted Joan’s recipe slightly. I switched the larger measure of dark raisins to golden raisins because I like them better, increased the salt, and tested the recipe to determine gram measurements, as I prefer baking this way. And don’t be put off by the long ingredient list. Other than the fruit, you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. I buy my dried fruit at the bulk store and weigh and buy the quantities I need.
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A Note From Kelly
Growing up, my mum always had fruitcake somewhere in the house at Christmas, usually wrapped in parchment or tucked into a tin. I never liked it as a kid, but I’ve grown into it as an adult, especially with a hot cup of coffee. I’m sure Joan, the woman who gave me this recipe, has been making her fruitcake for many years. That she wrote it down and passed it along to me to share with you makes it feel that much more special.
Ingredients For Christmas Fruitcake
For the fruit mixture:
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Lightly coats the fruit so it disperses evenly in the cake batter.
- Currants: Use dried currants, not fresh or frozen.
- Dates: Use pitted dates and chop them into small pieces.
- Glacé Cherries: These are candied cherries sold for baking, not maraschino cherries packed in liquid.
- Mixed Peel: Look for finely diced mixed peel in the baking aisle of the grocery store or at a bulk store. You can also buy larger pieces and dice them yourself, or make homemade candied mixed peel.
- Prunes: Use pitted prunes and chop them into small pieces.
- Raisins (Dark): Use standard baking raisins and break up any clumps.
- Raisins (Golden): Choose light coloured, plump raisins, as older golden raisins can darken and dry out.
For the wet and dry ingredients:
Ingredient Notes
- Allspice (Ground): Sometimes confused for a blend of mixed spices, allspice is actually a single spice made from grinding dried allspice berries.
- Butter: I use salted butter for all of my recipes.
- Coffee: Brew the coffee ahead of time at least double strength and allow it to cool before mixing.
- Eggs: I use large eggs for all of my recipes.
- Molasses: Use fancy molasses, not blackstrap, which can be quite bitter.
- Rum: It doesn’t matter if you use dark or spiced rum, but spiced rum adds a warm, almost eggnog-like note.
- Salt: I use table salt for all of my recipes.
- Strawberry Jam: I used store-bought strawberry jam for this recipe.
- Sugar (Brown): Sometimes labelled dark brown or old-fashioned brown sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: Use any vanilla you like or have on hand.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Allspice (Ground): Use ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of cloves in place of the allspice.
- Butter: Replace with the same amount of unsalted butter and add an extra pinch of salt.
- Cloves (Ground): Substitute with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of allspice.
- Coffee: Use ½ cup of hot water mixed with 1 tablespoon of instant coffee granules.
- Dates: Swap the ½ cup of chopped dates with ½ cup of chopped dried figs.
- Glacé Cherries: Use the same amount of chopped dried apricots.
- Molasses: Use 2 tablespoons of honey.
- Prunes: Use ½ cup of chopped dried cranberries.
- Raisins (Dark): Replace with ½ cup of golden raisins.
- Raisins (Golden): Use ½ cup of dark raisins.
- Rum: Replace with the same amount of brandy, Cognac, Sherry, Port, or a warm liqueur like Drambuie or Grand Marnier. For a non alcoholic option, use ½ cup of apple juice.
- Strawberry Jam: Replace with the same amount of any jam you like.
- Vanilla Extract: Swap with the same amount of pure almond extract.
Recipe Variations
Try any of the following for a twist on this Christmas fruitcake recipe:
- Candied Ginger: ¼ cup, finely chopped, added with the dry ingredients
- Cardamom (Ground): 1 teaspoon, whisked into the dry ingredients
- Coconut: ½ cup, unsweetened, shredded, mixed in with the fruit
- Dark Chocolate: ½ cup, chopped, stirred in with the fruit
- Nuts: ½ cup, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts, chopped, folded into the batter just before baking
- Orange Zest: 1 tablespoon, added to the wet ingredients before mixing
- Pineapple (Candied): ½ cup, diced, stirred in with the fruit
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Christmas Fruitcake
STEP 1: Place all of the fruit in a large bowl, add ¼ cup of flour, and stir until well coated. Set aside.
STEP 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining flour and the dry ingredients. Set aside.
STEP 3: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until smooth. Scrape down the bowl, then add the eggs, jam, molasses, and vanilla.
STEP 4: Increase the speed and mix until well combined. The mixture may look slightly lumpy, which is normal.
STEP 5: Add the flour mixture and stir by hand until about halfway incorporated. Add the fruit, cooled coffee, and rum.
STEP 6: Continue stirring until the flour has just disappeared, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
STEP 7: Divide the batter evenly between two parchment-lined loaf tins and smooth the tops with a spatula or butter knife.
STEP 8: Bake the fruitcakes for 70 to 80 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean. Cool briefly in the tins, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Make the coffee, and measure and chop all of the fruit before you start, because once the batter is going, this recipe moves quickly.
- Use your spatula to scrape right along the bottom of the bowl, as butter and sugar can hide there and lead to uneven mixing.
- I use small all-metal binder clips to hold the parchment overhangs against the sides of the loaf tins, and they can go straight into the oven.
Recipe Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- To switch to gram measurements, click Metric grams in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
- Fill the loaf tins evenly so the cakes bake at the same rate. To be precise, place each tin on a scale and weigh the batter.
- The loaves may crack slightly on top, which is normal for a dense fruitcake.
- Allow the loaves to cool completely before slicing, as fruitcake firms up as it rests and cuts more cleanly.
Storage
- Wrap your Christmas fruitcake tightly in parchment paper and foil, then store at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to one month or freeze for up to two months. The flavour improves after a day or two, making this a good recipe to bake ahead.
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Printable Recipe Card
Christmas Fruitcake with Rum (Cape Breton Recipe)
Equipment
- Two 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf tins
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and spoons, or a digital kitchen scale
- Three Mixing bowls
- Stand or hand mixer
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Cooling rack
- Wooden skewer
Ingredients US cups or switch to Metric grams
For the fruit mixture:
- 1 ½ cups golden raisins
- 1 cup glacé (candied) cherries (red and/or green, whole or halved)
- 1 cup mixed peel (finely diced)
- ½ cup dark raisins
- ½ cup dates (pitted, chopped)
- ½ cup dried currants
- ½ cup prunes (chopped)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
Dry ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet ingredients:
- 1 cup salted butter (softened, plus extra for greasing the tins)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup strawberry jam
- 2 tablespoons fancy molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup strong coffee (cooled)
- ½ cup rum (dark or spiced)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Lightly grease two 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf tins with butter, then line them with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the coffee from the wet ingredient list and set it aside to cool. If your eggs are cold, place them in a bowl of hot tap water to bring them to room temperature. If any of your dried fruit needs chopping, do that now.
- Place all the fruit in a large bowl and stir until combined. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of flour and stir again until the fruit is well coated. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and smooth, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 1 minute more.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs, strawberry jam, molasses, and vanilla. Mix at medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until well combined.
- Scrape down the bowl again and switch to a spatula or wooden spoon. Add the flour mixture, and stir by hand until the flour is about halfway incorporated. Add the fruit, cooled coffee, and rum, then continue stirring until the flour has just disappeared, making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins, smoothing the tops with a spatula or butter knife. Place the tins in the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean with no wet batter on it.
- Cool the loaves in the tins on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then transfer them to the rack to cool completely.
To age the fruitcakes with rum for a deeper flavour:
- If you would like to age the fruitcakes, brush the top of each loaf with 1 tablespoon of rum once completely cool. If you prefer a stronger rum flavour, you can use up to 2 tablespoons per loaf. Wrap the loaves tightly in parchment paper and foil between brushings, and repeat every few days for up to one week.
Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- To switch to gram measurements, click Metric grams in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
- Fill the loaf tins evenly so the cakes bake at the same rate. To be precise, place each tin on a scale and weigh the batter.
- The loaves may crack slightly on top, which is normal for a dense fruitcake.
- Allow the loaves to cool completely before slicing, as fruitcake firms up as it rests and cuts more cleanly.
- Wrap your fruitcakes tightly in parchment paper and foil, then store at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to one month or freeze for up to two months. The flavour improves after a day or two, making this a good recipe to bake ahead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Leaving a rating and/or a comment helps others find my work, which genuinely supports what I do. Thank you!
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Kelly Neil is a recipe developer, food photographer, and lifelong Nova Scotian building a sense of home and identity through recipes. She lives in her hometown of Dartmouth with her partner, Chris, their daughter, Elodie, and their little dog, Skipper.
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