Check out my gorgeous Rose Gold Kitchenware in my new online Shop  RIGHT HERE

Just a Mum's Kitchen

· 55 Comments

4 Ingredient Fruit Cake

Cakes· Christmas Recipes

Jump to Recipe

A simple fruit cake using just four ingredients, no butter, eggs or milk! This is an oldie but a goodie, I hope you enjoy this recipe for 4 Ingredient Fruit Cake

A lovely follower on Facebook has passed this recipe onto me. Helen’s Mum used to make this many years ago and she thought it would be a great cake to share for people who are on limited supplies at any time or just like the classics.

I know so many of us like recipes with only a few ingredients, this is such a neat technique. There are several versions of this one available, but this is the most basic I have seen! 

The secret is soaking the dried fruit in tea! Yes tea! Called a tea cake or loaf in many countries, this is the basic version, although I have seen a version with just three ingredients omitting the sugar, or where people use other liquids such as iced coffee, orange juice etc. I have also seen versions that add egg, spices, vanilla and more but I love this basic idea.  

So this is a recipe that is dairy free, egg free and fat free! How often do I say that on this page! It is lovely and simple to make, the longest part is allowing the dried fruit to steep in the tea – you can do this for a few hours or even overnight.

 

Then it is just a matter of combining the wet and dry ingredients, and baking in a loaf tin or small cake tin. So easy! I have used raisins today as I have an abundance of them, you could use sultanas, apricots, cranberries, blueberries and more! Any dried fruit that appeals.

I have a divine fruit cake that we make at Christmas time, again very simple but perhaps a lot more indulgent, you can be sure to check that one out here 

Just A Mum's Fruit Cake

If you like the idea of few ingredient baking then check out these other quick simple recipes

Easy 3 Ingredient Scones

3 Ingredient Dairy Free Chocolate Mousse

2 Ingredient Mini Pizzas

2 Ingredient Scrolls

3 Ingredient Macaroons

3 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

Also a tip for the wise, when you need to cook this for just one more minute, set the timer. Don’t do what I did and forget about it for ten more minutes. So please enjoy my rather well cooked loaf! This is testament to how good it is – even overcooked it tastes wonderful!!

So onto the recipe, I hope you enjoy this one, an easy recipe to have on hand, my 4 Ingredient Fruit Cake 

4 Ingredient Fruit Cake

4 Ingredient Fruit Cake

Yield: 10
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

An easy 4 Ingredient Fruit Cake, using tea to soak the dried fruit, fat free, dairy free and egg free!

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Strong Black Tea, Hot, 250 mls
  • 1 Cup Sultanas, 130 grams
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar, 120 grams
  • 2 Cups Self Raising Flour, 270 grams

Instructions

  1. This first step needs is to soak the dried fruit, this can be done over two hours to overnight
  2. Boil water in the kettle, add a tea bag to 250mls of boiled water in a mug and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bag
  3. In a small bowl add the dried fruit, sugar and boiling cup of tea and allow to soak for at least two hours until cold, or even over night
  4. Preheat the Oven to 180 C Bake
  5. Prepare a loaf tray, mine is 21cm by 11cm, line the base with baking paper and grease or spray the sides and base with cooking spray.
  6. In a medium bowl add the self raising flour, pour in the dried fruit mixture.
  7. Stir with a large wooden spoon, this is a very thick mixture
  8. Spoon this into the prepared loaf tin and spread evenly
  9. Bake for 30 minutes and check with a knife, it should come out clean with no batter
  10. Cook for a further 5 minutes at a time until done
  11. Remove from the oven
  12. Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to completely cool
  13. Slice and serve, warm or cold
  14. Store in an airtight container.
  15. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment down below, rate this recipe or share a photo on Facebook!

© justamumnz
Category: Baking & Recipes
So you can see just how easy this recipe is. Delicious with some butter, and maybe a little jam. I cannot wait to hear what you think of this, if you make it comment below.

Thank you so much for stopping by to check out my latest recipe and others on my blog. If you are not already be sure to follow me on Facebook or Instagram for more deliciousness, and you can register your email in the subscription box below to receive all my recipes as I publish them.

Happy Baking!

Anna 

 

Pin it – Pinterest!

Pinterest 4 Ingredient Fruit Cake Just A Mum

 

Comments

  1. Sue says

    I love this recipe & have used it a few times now. I’m diabetic & miss sweet treats especially fruit loaf/cake. I replace the sugar with 1tsp of powdered stevia & it works extremely well. I also add the juice of a squeezed orange which gives it a little more sweetness. Also l add powdered cinnamon & some broken nuts for an extra taste kick & texture. My hubby adores this fruit loaf & always asks when I’m making another one..!

    Reply

  2. Louise says

    Love this easy recipe ! I used mixed fruit & some crystallised ginger , slurp of rum & cinnamon with the cup of tea & studded the top with almond slivers – served some slices with butter others with lemon curd – big hit at work !

    Reply

  3. Helen Fraser says

    If you don’t have self rising flour, can you use ap and add b soda or b powder? And if so, how much? Thanks dear!

    Reply

    • justamumnz says

      The ratio for flour to baking powder is 1 Cup of plain white flour, 1.5 teapoons of baking powder, do double that for this recipe.

      Reply

  4. rose says

    I have a question about the steps, sorry If I just have poor reading comprehension. The initial soaking of the dried fruit; what is it soaked in?

    Reply

  5. Shell says

    It’s a nice cake for only 4 ingredients. Very dense but I personally like dense cakes. I did have to cover with foil at 30 mins and bake for another 15 minutes checking every five minutes until the centre was fully done.
    I used chai tea and mixed fried fruit and half SR wholemeal and half white SR.

    Reply

  6. Judy says

    I made this today. I didn’t really expect it to work but decided to give it a go as i wouldn’t be wasting many ingredients if it didn’t work. I was pleasantly surprised. I used mixed fruit and topped up the flour with 3/4 cup of wholemeal sr flour as it was what I had in the pantry. I baked it for 25 minutes at 180 degrees.
    This recipe is a keeper, thanks for sharing. I look forward to trying a few of your other recipes as well

    Reply

  7. Denise Case says

    hi loved this recipe as a child my mum would bake it, im 73 now so very old well loved quickie

    Reply

  8. Martin says

    What a great recipe, I remember my mum making something like this when I was a child and never could find a recipe for it. I have now, I made it with Coffee as there was no tea in the house and it turned out great. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  9. Barry says

    just baked this, looked alot smoother on top than the picture, and quite pale, did use a 2lb list tin though, still can’t wait to taste it

    Reply

  10. Manjeet says

    Oh wow! No eggs or butter. Always looking for healthier versions of baking. I tried fruit cake with eggs and milk. But definitely will try this. If someone can share how much sativia they used. As I’m diabetic so try to swap the sugars. Thanks

    Reply

  13. Jen Thorsen says

    I had this recipe many years ago and made it lots of times. I had forgotten all about it but am going to try it again as it is so easy to make.

    Reply

  15. Angie Sellars says

    Why does it say add dry fruit to the flour, when you have the fruit steeping in tea??

    Reply

    • justamumnz says

      As it’s dried fruit as referred to in the ingredient list, rather than physically dry at this point in the recipe

      Reply

  16. Nazia says

    I have soaked sultanas over night but did not put the sugar in ( didnt read that far ahead) would it be ok to ass sugar in with the flour? Or do I omit it altogether???

    Reply

  18. Hilary Larkham says

    I was really dubious about this as I didnt believe that having no eggs or fat would work. How wrong was I! It was absolutely lovely. So easy to make and so tasty. The whole family loved it.

    Reply

  20. June Baxter says

    I’ve just seen this recipe and carnt wait to try it.
    My sons are both dairy and egg free, due to allergies and cannot eat cakes.
    This could be a turning point for them and open up a whole new world of new treats.
    Thankyou so much for this recipe.

    Reply

    • justamumnz says

      I’ve not tested with gluten free self raising flour sorry. Let me know if you do ☺️

      Reply

    • justamumnz says

      I haven’t tested the recipe with sweetener sorry. I know some versions have no sugar but you’d have to test it ☺️

      Reply

      • justamumnz says

        Yes you can use coconut sugar in this recipe, a 1:1 ratio as the differences between sugar and coconut sugar are few. It is darker so the final loaf will have a more golden finish.

  27. Margaret Grass says

    Made this loaf today it was yummy put lemon icing on the loaf was so moist really happy with it

    Reply

  28. Jo Harpur says

    Hi I don’t have a loaf tin, but will try in large muffin tray. Hopefully I will keep checking re the bake time.

    Reply

I love hearing from you! What do you think of this recipe?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Skip to Recipe