Recipe: Chocolate Fruit Cake with Brandy Syrup

This chocolate fruit cake brings together the deep flavour of cocoa, a generous helping of dried fruit and the gentle warmth of cinnamon. Irene Muller’s recipe finishes the cakes with a brandy and vanilla syrup that soaks into the crumb.

The recipe makes two 20 cm cakes, so there is plenty to share over afternoon tea or serve as a rich dessert. Butter and moist brown sugar form the base, while the fruit cake mix gives each slice its familiar texture and sweetness.

Take time to line the tins carefully and follow the two baking temperatures: 150°C to start, followed by a longer bake at 120°C. Spoon over the syrup after baking, then allow the cakes to cool completely before wrapping. If you are making them ahead, follow the brandy-feeding instructions in the printable recipe.

Makes: 2 medium cakes · Preparation: 30 minutes · Baking: 2 hours · Total: 2 hours 30 minutes, plus cooling.

Ingredients

Cake

• 250 g butter, softened
• 250 ml moist brown sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 560 ml cake flour
• 180 ml cocoa powder
• 7 ml bicarbonate of soda
• 3 ml salt
• 5 ml ground cinnamon
• 1.5 kg fruit cake mix
• 90 ml brandy

Brandy syrup

• 80 ml water
• 125 ml light brown sugar
• 160 ml brandy
• 5 ml vanilla essence

How to make chocolate fruit cake

1. Heat the oven to 150°C. Grease two 20 cm cake tins and line the bases and sides with three layers of baking paper. Cut two extra paper circles for the tops.
2. Cream the butter and moist brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs. Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl.
3. Stir the fruit cake mix and 90 ml brandy into the butter mixture. Combine with the dry ingredients, then divide between the tins and cover with the paper circles.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 120°C and bake for a further 1½ hours, or until a skewer comes out without wet batter.
5. For the syrup, bring the water and light brown sugar to the boil, stirring until dissolved, then cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the brandy and vanilla.
6. Spoon the syrup over both cakes. Cool in the tins for 20 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Once completely cool, wrap in foil. If maturing, feed with a little brandy every week or two, stopping a few days before serving.

Serving suggestions

Cut into thin slices and serve with tea or coffee. For dessert, add a small spoonful of cream. The recipe contains brandy in both the cake and the syrup.

Printable recipe

Rich Chocolate Fruit Cake with Brandy and Vanilla Syrup

Irene Muller

Two rich chocolate fruit cakes packed with dried fruit, gently spiced with cinnamon and finished with a brandy and vanilla syrup.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Global

Servings 2 medium cakes

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 250 g butter softened
• 250 ml moist brown sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 560 ml cake flour
• 180 ml cocoa powder
• 7 ml bicarbonate of soda
• 3 ml salt
• 5 ml ground cinnamon
• 1.5 kg fruit cake mix
• 90 ml brandy

Brandy syrup

• 80 ml water
• 125 ml light brown sugar
• 160 ml brandy
• 5 ml vanilla essence

Instructions

 

Prepare the tins

• Preheat the oven to 150°C. Grease two 20 cm cake tins well with butter.
• Line the base and sides of each tin with three layers of baking paper. Cut an additional circle of baking paper to cover the batter in each tin.

Make and bake the cakes

• Cream the softened butter and moist brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well.
• Sift the cake flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl.
• Stir the fruit cake mix and 90 ml brandy into the butter mixture. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix well, ensuring no pockets of flour remain.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins. Level the surfaces and cover each with a baking paper circle.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 150°C. Reduce the oven temperature to 120°C and bake for a further 1½ hours, or until cooked through. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out without wet batter; check another spot if it goes through a piece of fruit.

Make the syrup and finish

• Towards the end of baking, bring the water and light brown sugar to the boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the 160 ml brandy and vanilla essence.
• Spoon the syrup evenly over both baked cakes while they are still in their tins. Leave in the tins for 20 minutes before carefully removing them.
• Transfer to wire racks and cool completely to room temperature. Wrap the cooled cakes in foil.
• If keeping the cakes to mature, moisten with a little brandy every week or two. Stop adding brandy a few days before serving.

Notes

Makes two 20 cm cakes. Total time excludes cooling and optional maturation. Bake for 30 minutes at 150°C, then 1½ hours at 120°C.

Serve in thin slices with tea or coffee, or with a spoonful of cream as a dessert. This recipe contains brandy, including brandy stirred into the syrup after cooking.

Ingredient image supplied by Irene Muller, illustrated via AI.

Keyword brandy syrup, chocolate fruit cake, Dried Fruit