A traditional fruitcake inspired by the flavours of Greece. The dried fruit found in this fragrant and delicious cake include Zante currants, raisins, dried figs and dried apricots. Walnuts and almond flour are also incorporated throughout the cake which is infused with Greek Metaxa. This is a fruitcake worthy of the holidays!

Fruitcake on a wood platter with a red ribbon around it.

Growing up in a Greek home we didn’t really eat fruitcake. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I learned about this cake, common during Christmas. What I learned was that unlike the Greek Christmas classic sweets like Melomakarona, Kourabiethes and Galaktoboureko, fruitcake was often the butt of the joke. People joked that there was in fact only one fruitcake in the world, and it just made its rounds from family to family, being re-gifted because no one actually ate fruitcake!

I was curious. The first time I came across a piece fruitcake I forced myself to have a try. It was dense, heavy and full of candied fruit like red and green maraschino cherries. It was…meh. Not horrible, but not great either. Still, I loved the idea of this cake and over the years have tried fruitcake that has ranged from horrible, to pretty great! I became obsessed with creating a recipe for a Greek inspired fruitcake that would convert fruitcake haters to fruitcake lovers (or at least, likers). I think that I have done it guys!

Why this recipe works

Honestly guys, this is a fruitcake that you will not be making fun of! Here are a few reasons why I love it!

Flavour & texture
This Greek inspired fruitcake is loaded with dried fruit that is common in Greek cuisine. The raisins, dried figs, dried apricots and Zante currants are soaked in Greek Metaxa and are just amazing. The walnuts and ground almonds are the added bonus that makes this cake great. It is dense, but moist, just like a great fruitcake should be.

Make ahead
One of the benefits of fruitcake is that it actually gets better as it sits. I make my fruitcake a month or so before Christmas, wrap it up well in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and store it for up to 2 months. It also freezes really well for longer storage.

Great baking technique
Part of the reason this fruitcake bakes up so beautifully is because of the way it is baked – low and slow! I set my oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the fruitcake alongside two loaf pans full of water. This keeps the oven moist and helps to steam the cake as it bakes.

Key ingredients

Dried fruit There is a LOT of fruit in this fruitcake! I made the conscious decision to include fruits that you will often see used in Greek cooking. So, my fruitcake is loaded with dried figs, raisins, dried currants (also called Zante currants as the island of Zakynthos was once a major producer) and dried apricots.

Metaxa The reason that fruitcake can last so long is because of the alcohol it contains. Most fruitcake uses dark rum; in my version I use Greek Metaxa which is a spirit made by combining brandy with wine. The flavour and aroma is amazing!

Flour I use all-purpose flour in this cake recipe. Also called plain or regular flour, it has a mild flavour and a gluten content which makes it great for a fruitcake. In fact, I use this type of flour for most of my baking.

Eggs I always use large eggs when baking, and most recipes do. If it is not specified, you can assume that a recipe uses large chicken eggs. They help bind everything together.

Butter I use unsalted butter that I allow to come to room temperature. Room temperature butter is so much easier to beat and blend with other ingredients.

Brown sugar I use brown sugar not only because it adds sweetness, but because of the delicious caramel flavour it gives to the fruitcake.

Baking powder A simple, effective, and readily available leavening agent.

Ground almonds I purchase almond flour or almond meal to use in this recipe. This helps give a nutty flavour throughout the cake.

Walnuts Greeks love walnuts! My grandmother had the most gorgeous walnut tree outside of her village home. I love walnuts in baked goods; they are flavourful, soft yet crunchy and the batter wraps so well around its many crevices and folds. I chop my walnuts by hand so that I keep the pieces relatively large, versus processing them too finely in a food processor.

Orange zest I use a micro plane grater for my orange zest. Be sure not to include any of the white pith, which could be bitter.

Cinnamon We cannot have a Greek inspired dessert without cinnamon!

Ginger Truth be told, Greeks don’t really use ground ginger much. But, I decided to include a bit; ginger is a common flavour in most fruitcakes.

How to make it

Making fruitcake is a commitment. It is not hard per se, but you do need patience, and time. You need to plan ahead to soak your fruit, and the cake itself bakes for two hours!

Step 1
The day before you want to bake your cake, soak your dry fruit in Metaxa. Chop up the figs and apricots before adding them to the bowl. Then, mix everything around, cover your bowl and allow it to sit for at least 12 hours at room temperature.

Step 2
Preheat your oven and prepare your springform pan by greasing it with butter and lining it with parchment paper.

Step 3
Sift together your flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and ginger and set it aside.

Step 4
Using your mixer set at medium speed beat together your butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in your eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the orange zest with your last egg.

Step 5
Meanwhile, strain your dry fruit in a fine colander or sieve and reserve any of the liquid. Measure the liquid and add enough Metaxa to reach 2 tablespoons. Add the strained liquid/Metaxa to your mixing bowl and beat until well combined.

Step 6
Toss the dry fruit with ⅓ cup of the flour mixture until well coated. Add the remaining flour to the bowl with the butter in 3 or 4 additions, mixing well after each addition until just combined. Next, with a rubber spatula fold in the ground almonds, chopped walnuts and dry fruit. This will look impossible, but you can do it!

Step 7
Transfer the fruitcake batter to your prepared springform pan. Smooth the top and press down to ensure that there are no pockets of air within the batter.

Step 8
Fill 2 loaf pans with water and place them in the oven allowing for enough room between them for your springform pan. Place fruitcake in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Rotate your fruitcake and bake for another 30 minutes. Then cover your fruitcake loosely with aluminum foil and bake for an additional half hour. Total baking time is 2 hours.

Step 9
Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack, in the pan, for 30 minutes. After this time, release the sides and invert the fruitcake onto a rack. Remove the bottom and parchment paper and then turn the cake right side up to cool completely.

Recipe substitutions

This recipe is a great way to celebrate Greek flavours and ingredients in a non-Greek dessert. You have lots of room for making substitutions however! You can swap out the dried fruit for other dried fruit. Actually, chopped up candied orange peel would be great here!

Instead of Greek Metaxa you can use dark rum, brandy, cognac, an orange flavoured liquor, whiskey or even sherry.

Instead of chopped walnuts you can use chopped pecans.

I use almond flour in the cake. You can use a food processor to make your own ground almonds from whole almonds if you prefer.

A piece of fruitcake sitting on a wood plate surrounded by Christmas decor.

Baking tips

Making fruitcake is not hard, it just takes some planning. Here are some tips and helpful hints that will make it easier for you to make the most amazing Greek inspired fruitcake.

Bring your butter and eggs to room temperature

It is so much easier to beat together your butter and eggs when they are at room temperature. If you have forgotten to take your ingredients out of the fridge you can use these kitchen hacks to warm them up a bit.

For the butter: Either grate the butter on a box grater or place it on a dish and cover it with a bowl that you have filled and then emptied with boiling water. Cover the butter until it has softened to the point where you can make an easy indent with your finger.
For the eggs: Place them in a bowl or cup filled with hot tap water while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.

How to chop your fruit and nuts

First off, I don’t use a food processor to chop my walnuts. I like to do this by hand, with a chef’s knife. This ensures that I have some variation in the walnut pieces and that they don’t get too finely chopped.

For the dried figs and apricots – I use a knife that I have lightly greased with olive oil. This helps prevent sticking, and makes chopping up the dried fruit easier.

Mix your batter well

When it comes time to fold the walnuts, ground almonds and fruit into your batter, you will notice that there is not much batter to actually go around! Don’t despair – it will work. Use a rubber spatula and lift up from the bottom of your bowl, pushing down on the nuts and fruit. This may take a while, but after a few minutes you will see that your ingredients have been incorporated into the batter. If you find it too difficult to do this with your rubber spatula, then use your hands!

Fill your pan well

When it is time to transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan (I love to use a springform pan for this cake for the easy release) I use a large spoon. The batter is thick so I scoop it up in portions and transfer it into the pan, bit by bit. With each spoonful I spread the batter around and press down on it, to make sure that there are no air pockets.

Steam helps bake the cake

I bake my fruitcake low and slow, for 2 hours at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. I also include two loaf pans full of water in the oven during the baking. This creates steam and helps the fruitcake bake up beautifully.

Prevent burning or over-browning with aluminum foil

I watch my cake carefully as it bakes. If I find that the top is getting too brown before the two hours of baking is done, I cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil. I usually do this at 1.5 hours into the baking, but keep an eye on your cake as it may be different for you, depending on your oven.

A close up of the inside of the fruitcake

Frequently asked questions

What is the best liqueur for fruitcake?

Opinions on this vary however strongly flavoured spirits with a high alcohol content by volume are preferred traditionally. This can include dark rum, whiskey, brandy or sherry. In my Greek inspired fruitcake I use Metaxa which is a Greek liquor made by combining brandy with wine. It is very special, and very delicious.

How long should I soak my fruit in alcohol for my Christmas fruitcake?

I soak my dried fruit for a minimum of 12 hours.

Storing

One of the great things about fruitcake is how long it keeps! Because of the alcohol, fruitcake usually keeps at room temperature for a pretty long time. I wrap my cooled fruitcake well in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. This way it keeps at room temperature for up to 2 months. If you want to keep it even longer then you can freeze it. Simply defrost by leaving at room temperature.

Serving

This Greek inspired fruitcake is a rich dessert; a little piece is all you need to enjoy it. I love to serve fruitcake with a cup of Greek coffee or a soothing Chamomile tea.

If you love this Greek inspired fruitcake, I think you might also like these dessert that include dried fruits. I hope you do!

Maraschino cherry cake with cream cheese frosting I love this fun cake, and the combination of maraschino cherries with chocolate and cream cheese frosting! So good.

Vegan date cake This is an incredibly rich and delicious cake. It is always a showstopper, and gone in minutes!

Healthy banana bread with dates This is a great vegan version of banana bread that is sweetened with chopped up dates. So good!