This delicious fruit cake is soft, moist, and full of warm spices. It’s made right in the air fryer and doesn’t need any oven time. Perfect for holidays or tea time, and the best part? No complicated steps — just melt, mix, and bake.

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Ingredients Needed:

150g unsalted butter – cubed
175g light soft brown sugar
225g sultanas
175g raisins
100ml brandy
200ml milk
225g plain flour
2½ teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
a pinch of salt
50g chopped hazlenuts
50g chopped almonds
2 medium eggs – beaten
600ml water

How To Make Boiled Fruit Cake in Air Fryer Recipe?

Melt the Butter & Simmer the Fruit: Add the butter, sugar, raisins, sultanas, milk, and brandy into the air fryer pot. Flip the SmartSwitch to AIR FRY, select SEAR/SAUTÉ, set it to 4, and press START/STOP. Stir now and then until the butter melts and the mix starts bubbling — about 5 minutes.
Cool the Fruit Mixture: Turn off the heat and pour the mixture into a large bowl. Let it cool completely. Using a wide bowl helps it cool faster.
Prep the Tin and Pot: Wash the pot, grease a 22cm (8-inch) round cake tin, and line the base and sides with baking paper. Pour 600ml water into the pot. Fold in the legs of the Cook & Crisp tray and place it inside the pot.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the flour, mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts and almonds.
Combine Wet and Dry: Add the beaten eggs to the cooled fruit mixture, then pour it over the dry ingredients. Gently fold until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
Steam-Bake the Cake: Place the tin onto the Cook & Crisp tray. Close the lid, flip the SmartSwitch to RAPID COOKER, select STEAM BAKE, set it to 150°C and 35 minutes, then press START/STOP. It will steam for 20 minutes before baking starts.
Cover the Cake Top: When 10 minutes remain, open the lid carefully and cover the cake with foil, tucking the edges around the tin so it doesn’t blow up onto the fan.
Cool and Serve: Check with a skewer — if it comes out clean, it’s done. Let it cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack.

Mary Berry Boiled Fruit Cake in Air Fryer Recipe

Recipe Tips:

Cool the fruit mixture first: Don’t rush this part — if the mix is too hot, it can cook the eggs when added.
Swap brandy if needed: You can use orange juice instead of brandy for a non-alcoholic version.
Add more fruit if you like: Chopped glace cherries or dried apricots go great in this cake too.
Cover with foil near the end: This stops the top from burning or sticking to the air fryer fan.

How To Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover boiled fruit cake cool down completely at room temperature. Once cool, wrap it in baking paper and foil, then place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Let the cake cool fully before wrapping it tightly in cling film and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 290 kcal
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 40mg
Sodium: 120mg
Potassium: 210mg
Total Carbohydrate: 39g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 25g
Protein: 4g

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

Mary Berry Turkey Soup Recipe
Mary Berry Christmas Fish Pie Recipe

Mary Berry Boiled Fruit Cake in Air Fryer Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

290

kcal

Ingredients

150g unsalted butter – cubed
175g light soft brown sugar
225g sultanas
175g raisins
100ml brandy
200ml milk
225g plain flour
2½ teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
a pinch of salt
50g chopped hazlenuts
50g chopped almonds
2 medium eggs – beaten
600ml water

Directions

Melt the Butter & Simmer the Fruit: Add the butter, sugar, raisins, sultanas, milk, and brandy into the air fryer pot. Flip the SmartSwitch to AIR FRY, select SEAR/SAUTÉ, set it to 4, and press START/STOP. Stir now and then until the butter melts and the mix starts bubbling — about 5 minutes.
Cool the Fruit Mixture: Turn off the heat and pour the mixture into a large bowl. Let it cool completely. Using a wide bowl helps it cool faster.
Prep the Tin and Pot: Wash the pot, grease a 22cm (8-inch) round cake tin, and line the base and sides with baking paper. Pour 600ml water into the pot. Fold in the legs of the Cook & Crisp tray and place it inside the pot.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the flour, mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts and almonds.
Combine Wet and Dry: Add the beaten eggs to the cooled fruit mixture, then pour it over the dry ingredients. Gently fold until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
Steam-Bake the Cake: Place the tin onto the Cook & Crisp tray. Close the lid, flip the SmartSwitch to RAPID COOKER, select STEAM BAKE, set it to 150°C and 35 minutes, then press START/STOP. It will steam for 20 minutes before baking starts.
Cover the Cake Top: When 10 minutes remain, open the lid carefully and cover the cake with foil, tucking the edges around the tin so it doesn’t blow up onto the fan.
Cool and Serve: Check with a skewer — if it comes out clean, it’s done. Let it cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack.

Notes

Cool the fruit mixture first: Don’t rush this part — if the mix is too hot, it can cook the eggs when added.
Swap brandy if needed: You can use orange juice instead of brandy for a non-alcoholic version.
Add more fruit if you like: Chopped glace cherries or dried apricots go great in this cake too.
Cover with foil near the end: This stops the top from burning or sticking to the air fryer fan.