Irish Porter Spice Cake With Dried Fruit Recipe

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This Irish Porter Spice Cake is rich, moist, and packed with warm spices and dried fruit. The dark porter beer adds depth without bitterness, making this cake deeply flavorful and perfectly balanced.

There is a wood block with a round dark brown cake with pieces of fruit in it laying on it. There is a piece of light brown paper under the cake. There is a wedge of cake cut out of the round loaf and laying in front of the cake. There are a few raisins on the wood block. There is a bottle of beer and a light gray cloth napkin in the back ground. Items are on a dark gray surface.

Forget the old-fashioned overly sweet fruit cakes our grandmothers used to make, this deliciously moist cake has deep caramelized notes and spicy rich fruit.

Prep time – 15 minutes
Bake time – 1 hour
Total time – 1 hour and 15 minutes
Servings – 10 to 12 slices
Prep level – Beginner +

What You’ll Love

Warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg add a cozy classic flavor.
Packed with dried fruit for sweetness and texture in every bite.
Moist and tender, thanks to the dark beer and spice-forward batter.
Tastes even better the next day, making it ideal for bake-ahead baking.
Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, holidays, or fall and winter gatherings.
A slice of traditional Irish spice cake paired with a cup of coffee or mug of tea is a delicious afternoon snack.

Ingredient Notes

There is a large white bowl with white flour in it. There is a dark brown bottle of beer. There are five smaller white bowls. One has dark brown sugar in it, one has golden raisins in it, one has dark brown raisins in it, one has dried dark red cherries in it, and the last one has three brown eggs in their shell in it. There is a large whole orange, two sticks of butter, a small clear glass bowl with half of a lemon in it. There are four very small clear glass bowls. There is dry powdered spices in each one. There is a metal utensil that grates spices. All the items are on a dark gray surface.

Unsalted butter: Add richness. Salted butter can be used, just slightly reduce the added salt.
Dark brown sugar: Adds a deep molasses flavor. Light brown sugar can be substituted or half brown sugar, half white sugar.
Porter ale: Malty depth without bitterness. It can be swapped out with stout, brown ale, or non-alcoholic dark beer.
Dried fruit: Golden raisins (aka sultanas), raisins, and dried cherries are used. Currants, chopped dates, or dried cranberries can be substituted.
Citrus zest & fresh lemon juice: Orange and lemon brightens the cake’s flavor.
Warm spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are used. Together, these spices complement the rich porter ale, citrus zest, and dried fruit without overpowering the cake.

There is a piece of brown paper with three slices of fruit cake on it. There is a clear cup with black coffee in it in the back ground. Items are on a dark gray surface.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Fruit Mixture

There is a rectangular wood board with a large orange and half of a yellow lemon on the board. There is a flat grating utensil resting on the board. There is a mound of tiny pieces of lemon peel and of orange peel. The board is on a dark gray surface.

There is a gray sauce pan with butter melting in it.

Zest the citrus and set aside.
Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter.

There is a gray sauce pan with melted butter and brown sugar in it. There is a wooden spoon resting in the pan.

There is a gray sauce pan with melted butter and brown sugar in it. There is a dark brown bottle over the pan with dark beer pouring out of it into the pan.

Once the butter begins to melt, add the brown sugar and stir a few times.
Slowly add the porter and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

There is a gray sauce pan with a dark liquid cooking in it. There are pieces of raisins and dried cherries in the liquid. There is a wooden spoon resting on the side of the pan. There are raisins in the spoon.

There is a gray sauce pan with a dark liquid cooking in it. There are pieces of raisins and dried cherries in the liquid. There is very tiny pieces of orange peel and lemon peel on top of the liquid. There is a wooden spoon resting in the liquid.

Add the dried fruit and stir a few times. Next, add the citrus zest and the lemon juice.
Increase the heat and bring to a boil, continuously stirring. Reduce to simmer for a few minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool down to room temperature.
While the wet ingredients are cooling, prepare the baking pan by greasing the bottom and sides of the pan and lining them with parchment paper. (See How to Line a Spring-Form Pan below.)

Prepare the Flour Mixture

There is a large clear glass bowl with white flour in it. There is a metal sifting canister in the background. There are four very small bowls with dry powdered spices in them. There is a metal grating utensil laying next to the small bowls. Items are on a dark gray surface.

There is a large clear glass bowl with white flour in it. There is dark brown powder sprinkled over the flour. The bowl is on a dark gray surface.

Sift the flour into a large bowl, then add the spices and mix.

There is a large clear glass bowl with a flour mixture in it. There is a dark brown liquid with fruit poured over the top of the dry mixture. There is a wooden spoon resting in the bowl. The bowl is on a dark gray surface.

There is a large clear glass bowl with a light brown cake batter with pieces of fruit in it. There is a wooden spoon resting in the bowl. There is a small white bowl with whisked eggs in front of the large bowl. Items are on a dark gray surface.

Fold the fruit mixture into the dry ingredients.
Lightly whisk eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly add the beaten eggs.

There is a large clear glass bowl with a light brown cake batter with pieces of fruit in it. There are raw eggs poured on top of the batter. There is a wooden spoon resting in the bowl. The bowl is on a dark gray surface.

There is a round cake pan lined with light brown parchment paper. There is brown cake batter with pieces of fruit in it poured into the round pan. The pan is on a dark gray surface.

Carefully incorporate them into the cake batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.
Place in preheated oven.

There is a black rectangular wire rack with a round cake pan lined with light brown parchment paper on it. There is a baked cake with fruit in the pan. There is a light gray cloth napkin laying next to the rack. Items are on a dark gray surface.

Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cake is golden brown.
Use oven mitts, remove the cake from the oven, and place it on a cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely.
Once cooled, you can go ahead and transfer to an airtight container.

See the recipe card below for complete measurements and cooking time.

Laura Belle’s Tips

Use a dark Irish porter for deep malty flavor without bitterness.
Let the fruit mixture cool to room temperature before folding it in. You can place the fruit in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to speed up the process.
Mix the batter until just combined to ensure a tender crumb.
Since the cake is dark, test early for doneness to avoid over baking.
Let the cake rest overnight. The flavors deepen and improve with time. Traditionally, a porter cake isn’t cut into it for at least 2 to 3 days.

There is a round dark brown cake with pieces of fruit in it. There is a piece of light brown paper under the cake. The cake is on a piece of black wood. There is a light gray cloth napkin laying next to the cake. Items are on a dark gray surface.

Storing

Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

Feeding the Cake (optional)

Feeding the cake enhances moisture and deepens the malty, spiced flavor.

Once completely cooled, poke small holes across the top using a skewer.
Brush or spoon 1-2 tablespoons of porte ale over the surface.
Then, wrap the cake tightly and let rest overnight so it can absorb the liquid evenly.
For a more deeper flavor, repeat the feeding with rest in between.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Irish Porter cake?

An Irish Porter cake is a boiled fruit cake made with Porter ale.
To keep it from drying out, a small amount of ale is poured over the cake every few days, which is called feeding the cake.

What kind of dried fruit do you use in a Porter fruit cake?

Raisins, golden raisins (sultanas), and cherries are used in a Porter cake. Dates, cranberries, or candied pineapple can be used.

What type of baking pan should be used to make a Porter cake?

A spring-form pan works best for this recipe, but you can use a bundt pan or large loaf pan.

There is a small light gray plate with a piece of fruit cake on it. There is a steel fork resting on the plate with a little bit of cake on it. There is a round dark brown cake on a sliver round plate in the background. Items are on a dark gray surface.

More Cozy Recipes with Irish Roots

McGuire’s Irish Pub Senate Bean Soup – Is an easy and delicious dish filled with tender beans, celery, carrots, and ham.
Homemade Sausage for Traditional Irish Breakfast – Fresh sausages that are a quick mix of ground pork, bread crumbs, flavorful spices, and then browned in a frying pan!
Irish Beef Pot Pie with Guinness – Tender beef simmered low and slow in a rich Guinness-infused gravy with hearty vegetables, all wrapped up under a flaky, buttery top.
Irish Soda Bread – from Soulfully Made. This no yeast bread requires no rising time yets bakes up a rustic hearty crust with a beautifully moist dense crumb!

How To Line A Spring-form Pan

There are two parts of a baking pan: a flat base and a removable interlocking ring that forms the sides. The ring is held together by a latch on the side. There is a small clear glass bowl with cooking oil in it. There are pieces of brown parchment paper and a red silicone basting brush. Items are on a dark gray surface.

There is a round ring type baking pan that is lined with brown parchment paper. There is a small clear glass bowl with cooking oil in it. There is a red silicone basting brush resting in the bowl. Items are on a dark gray surface.

Remove the sides from the base of the pan.
Use a pasty brush and grease the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil.
Place a large piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, making sure it hangs over the rim.
Place the pan circle (the sides) onto the bottom of the pan and clamp closed.
Brush the insides of the pan wall with vegetable oil.
Press measured, pre-cut parchment paper around the inside pan wall.
Carefully cut or tear the excess parchment paper around the outside of the pan.

Yield: 10 servings