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Rich Hazelnut Chocolate Fruit Cake

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This is one rich and decadent hazelnut chocolate fruit cake. Jam packed with fruit and booze as any good fruit cake should be. Hazelnuts add a delicious nutty element. I even whack some Nutella in for good measure.

I'm going to say it. This is one MOIST fruit cake. I don't use just one alcohol element, but two. The fruit mixture is soaked in Frangelico and brandy. Then given a good brush with more Frangelico after baking.

This is a good last minute Christmas fruit cake. Best made a couple of weeks before, but just as delicious made a couple of days before.

You will need at least 24 hours to soak the fruit, then another 24 hours after baking before decorating with cocoa powder and hazelnuts.

Sara xxx

decorated hazelnut chocolate fruit cake on cake stand ready to serve

Ingredients

  • Dried Fruit: I use raisins, dates and prunes in this recipe. Combined they add a very rich element to the hazelnut chocolate fruit cake and work well with the chosen alcohol.
  • Alcohol: I went for a combination of Frangelico and brandy. The brandy cuts the sweetness of the Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) and adds a stronger booze factor.
  • Nuts: Hazelnuts are king in this recipe. Enhanced by the Frangelico, and the use of Nutella. You can't swap them out for something else, the whole recipe is centred around the flavour.
  • Chocolate: The chocolate factor of this cake comes in the form of cocoa powder. It is used in the cake and also to decorate. The Nutella adds another chocolate element.
  • Spice: Like all good fruit cakes spices are used. In this case, it is subtle, a small amount of cinnamon and nutmeg.
side view of hazelnut chocolate fruit cake on a cake stand

Recipe Walk Through

Soaking the Fruit

The more time your fruit has to soak in the Frangelico and brandy the better. The aim is to have the fruit soak up all the booze to become plump and bursting with flavour.

A week is optimal, but 24 hours will do in a pinch. Put the fruit, hazelnut liqueur, and brandy in a glass or plastic container. Mix well and store in the fridge until needed. Give it a shake or stir every day to ensure the fruit is soaking up that alcohol evenly.

undecorated fruit cake on a cake stand

Preparing the Cake Tin

Fruit cakes in general spend a long time in the oven compared to any other cake you will bake. Preparing the cake tin is important to protect the cake.

Invest in a good quality, thick walled cake tin. It will last you your lifetime, your children's and then end up in the hands of your grandchildren one day. Round or square, it doesn't matter, go for the shape you like.

Line the cake tin with three layers of baking paper, extending it up the sides by 5cm (2 inches). Then wrap a couple of layers of brown paper around the outside of the cake tin, extending it up the sides by 5cm (2 inches). Secure the brown paper with kitchen string.

Making the Cake Mixture

This is a standard cake recipe. No ninja moves are needed. You cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs. Fruit is mixed into the wet ingredients. Then the dry ingredients are added. It all gets scooped into the prepared tin for baking.

above view of undecorated fruit cake on a fruit stand with bowl of frangelico and pastry brush

Giving the Hazelnut Chocolate Fruit Cake a Drink

After pulling the cake out of the oven the cakes gets a final drink. A good brush with Frangelico while the cake is still hot.

The top of the cake tin is covered in foil, and then wrapped in a clean towel and left to cool overnight. This allows it to soak in its final drink.

dusting cake with cocoa powder

Decorating the cake

Very simple to decorate. A dusting of cocoa powder and then a random sprinkle of toasted whole hazelnuts.

There is one important thing to note. Make sure the cake has had at least 24 hours to soak up that final drink you gave it of Frangelico. If the cake is still wet on the surface, when you dust it with cocoa powder the cocoa powder will soak up the moisture and become wet.

cake on a cake stand decorated with cocoa powder and roasted hazelnuts

Printable Recipe

Hazelnut Chocolate Fruit Cake

Rich Hazelnut Chocolate Fruit Cake

Recipe Author: Sara McCleary
This is one rich and decadent hazelnut chocolate fruit cake. Jam packed with fruit and booze as any good fruit cake should be. Hazelnuts add a delicious nutty element. I even whack some Nutella in for good measure.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Resting Time 1 day
Total Time 2 days 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Cake, Christmas
Cuisine Italian
Servings 20
Calories 446 kcal

Special Equipment

  • deep round cake tin 22cm (9 inch) or deep square cake tin 19cm (8 inch)
  • stand mixer or electric beaters + mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 375 grams (2½ cups) sultanas
  • 375 grams (2½ cups) raisins | coarsley chopped
  • 210 grams (1½ cups) dates | seeded and coarsely chopped
  • 240 grams (1¼ cups) prunes | pitted and coarsely chopped
  • 160 mls (two thirds cup) Frangelico | or other hazelnut liqueur
  • 160 mls (two thirds cup) brandy
  • 185 grams (6 ounces) butter | softened and chopped
  • 85 grams (¼ cup) Nutella | or other chocolate hazelnut spread
  • 220 grams (1 cup) brown sugar | firmly packed cup
  • 4 eggs
  • 260 grams (1¾ cups) plain flour | all purpose flour
  • 25 grams (¼ cup) cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 140 grams (1 cup) roasted hazelnuts | chopped
  • 65 mls (¼ cup) Frangelico extra | for final brush after baking
  • extra cocoa powder for dusting
  • extra roasted hazelnuts for decorating

Instructions
 

Soak the Fruit

  • Place fruit, Frangelico, and brandy in a large glass bowl or container. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 24 hours, or up to a week.
    If soaking for a week give the fruit a stir or shake everyday to ensure it soaks evenly.

Prepare the Cake Tin

  • Line a deep round cake tin 22cm (9 inch), or deep square cake tin 19cm (8 inch) with three layers of baking paper, extending it up the sides by 5cm (2 inches).
  • Then wrap a couple of layers of brown paper around the outside of the cake tin, extending it up the sides by 5cm (2 inches). Secure the brown paper with kitchen string.

Make the Cake

  • In a large bowl beat butter, Nutella and sugar until just combined.
  • Preheat oven 150°C (300°F).
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined between each egg addition.
  • Pour fruit mixture into the butter mixture and stir until combined.
  • Sift flour, cocoa powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon into the fruit and butter mixture. Add hazelnuts and mix until combined.
  • Put fruit cake mixture in the prepared cake tin. Spread mixture and flatten the top of the cake.
  • Place cake on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 3½ hours or until cooked. To test if the cake is cooked, insert a skewer and it should come out clean.
  • Brush hot cake with extra Frangelico.
  • Cover the top of the cake with a layer of foil. Then wrap the entire cake tin in a clean towel. Leave the cake to cool and rest for 25 hours (minimum overnight).

Decorate the Cake

  • Once the cake has cooled and rested dust with cocoa powder and place roasted hazelnuts on top.

Measurement Notes

All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.

Recipe Notes

PREPARING THE CAKE TIN
Fruit cakes in general spend a long time in the oven compared to any other cake you will bake. Preparing the cake tin is important to protect the cake.
Invest in a good quality, thick walled cake tin. It will last you your lifetime, your children, and then end up in the hands of your grandchildren one day. Round or square, it doesn’t matter, go for the shape you like.
 
DO I STRAIN THE FRUIT?
This will all depend if your fruit has soaked up all the alcohol.  If the fruit is swimming in an excess of booze when you are ready to bake your cake, then you will need to strain off the excess.  
Before adding the fruit to your cake, mix the soaked fruit with a spoon. 
The mixed fruit and liquid should all meld together. The thicker syrup style liquid happily incorporating itself with the fruit.  The liquid should simply be coating the fruit, the fruit not swimming in liquid.
The soaked sultanas and raisins should appear plump and rehydrated.  All going to plan the fruit should have soaked all of the alcohol.
 
STORING THE FRUIT CAKE
Store the cake in an airtight container.  It can be stored out of the fridge.  During hot Australian summers I tend to store mine in the fridge if I have room.
 
GENERAL COOK’S NOTES
All oven temperatures are for a conventional oven, if using fan forced lower the temperature by 20 Deg C (70 Deg F).
All measurements are Australian tablespoons and cups. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified;
  • 1 teaspoon equals 5ml
  • 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml (Nth America, NZ & UK use 15ml tablespoons)
  • 1 cup equals 250ml (Nth America use 237ml)
  • 4 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon
  • I use the below unless specified in my recipes;
Herbs are fresh | Vegetables are of a medium size | Eggs are roughly 60 grams in weight (large) 
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION BELOW IS A GUIDE ONLY

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.

Calories: 446kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 6gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 92mgPotassium: 578mgFiber: 5gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 372IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 3mg
Keyword frangelico recipes, last minute fruit cake, nutty fruit cake
Did You Make This Recipe?I do a happy dance when people share how they went. Tag me on Instagram or Twitter @bellyrumbles & #bellyrumbles

More Christmas Cake Recipes

Do check out the dedicated Christmas cake recipes section on Belly Rumbles. You will find a few other boozy fruit cakes like my port and chocolate Christmas cake. As well as some fruit free options like my brandy butter cake.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Mary B

    5 stars
    I made this today and it smells amazing. We can't wait to crack into it for Christmas. I hope it lasts that long, we may break before then LOL

    Reply

    • Sara McCleary

      Hey Mary, Lol! Hope it makes it to Christmas too.
      Cheers, Sara

  2. Jade

    5 stars
    Hi Sara
    I made mini versions of this for gifts this year. It tastes amazing! Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

    • Sara McCleary

      Hi Jade
      I love the idea of mini cakes for pressies, such a great idea.
      I hope the lucky recipients enjoy them.
      Cheer, Sara

  3. Val

    Hi Sara - this cake is currently cooling in the kitchen, and it smells absolutely incredible. I made the regular cake to be marzipanned and iced, but son asked for a chocolate version - and guess what - you come along with a recipe just for him. 🙂 Though I think we may have to share - it smells too good to be just for him (and clearly it would be too much cake for him alone). Ha ha !
    Thank you so much for this recipe, Sara.

    Reply

    • Sara McCleary

      Hi Val
      So glad the recipe found you in time. It really does smell good doesn't it 🙂
      I hope your son enjoys it, and you do too. Too much cake for him to eat alone, you definitely have to help.
      Cheers, Sara