Name: Irish Porter Spice Cake With Dried Fruit Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 1 cup butter - unsalted; 1 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar; 12 ounces Porter ale or Stout; 1 cup golden raisins (aka sultanas); 1 cup raisins; 1 cup dried cherries (1 - 5 ounce bag); Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon; Zest of a large orange; 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 3 eggs - room temperature

Jump to Recipe

A traditional Irish dessert, this Porter Spice Cake is known for its robust flavor, medley of dried fruits, and warm spices.

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.

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.

The next time you’re looking for a unique homemade cake for St. Patrick’s Day or any special occasion, try this Porter Spice Cake with Dried Fruit for a delightful taste of Ireland!

A slice of traditional Irish spice cake paired with a cup of coffee or mug of tea is the perfect afternoon snack!

This Irish cake recipe is simple to make! You don’t even need an electric mixer to make it.

Ingredients For Irish Porter Spice Cake With Dried Fruit

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.

What You Will Need

Butter – Unsalted

Dark brown sugar – Light brown sugar can be substituted

Porter ale – Stout can be used if you can’t find Porter

Dried fruit – Golden raisins (aka sultanas), raisins, and dried cherries (see FAQ’s)

Citrus zest – Orange and lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

All-purpose flour

Baking soda

Baking powder

Salt

Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice

Eggs – Room temperature

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.

Helpful Tools and Equipment

Medium saucepan
Wooden spoon
Sifter or fine mesh strainer
Large bowl
Springform pan
Parchment paper
Plastic wrap
Airtight container
Small bowl
Whisk or fork
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Oven mitts
Toothpick or cake tester
Cooling wire rack

How To Make Porter Cake with Fruit

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.

Prepare The Fruit Mixture

Zest the citrus and set aside.

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

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.

Once the butter begins to melt, add the brown sugar and stir a few times.

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.

Slowly add the porter.

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.

Add the dried fruit and stir a few times. (see FAQ’s)

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 citrus zest and the lemon juice.

Increase the heat and bring to a boil, continuously stirring.

Reduce the heat and simmer.

Preheat oven.

Remove the pan from heat and let the wet ingredients cool down to room temperature. (see Recipe Tips)

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 instructions below)

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.

Prepare The Flour Mixture

Sift the flour into a large bowl.

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.

Add the spices.

There is a large clear glass bowl with a flour mixture in it. There is a gray sauce pan with a dark brown sauce with fruit in the sauce pan. There is a wooden spoon resting in the pan. The pan is in front of the large glass bowl. Items are on a dark gray surface.

Whisk the dry ingredients together.

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.

Fold the fruit mixture into the dry ingredients.

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.

Lightly whisk eggs in a separate bowl.

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.

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 is a wooden spoon resting in the bowl. The bowl is on a dark gray surface.

Carefully incorporate them into the cake batter.

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.

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. (see Recipe Tips)

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.

Recipe Tips

Make sure that the fruit mixture is completely cooled before folding it into the dry mixture.

To speed up the process, I like to place the mixture into the freezer for about 20 to 30 minutes. The fruit mixture should be a room temperature, not too hot and not too cold.

While the cake is still very warm, drizzle a couple of tablespoons of porter over the top. The cake will absorb it and become even moister!

While you can eat the cake right after it cools, it is traditional to not cut into it for at least 2 to 3 days.

Its flavors develop over time and tastes better after sitting for a few days.

Ovens vary in temperature. Check your cake after 50 minutes. If it needs a little more time, continue baking until fully done.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Irish Porter cake?

An Irish Porter cake is a type of boiled fruit cake made with Porter ale.

In Ireland, this cake is typically baked in November and enjoyed during the Christmas holidays.

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. If you have trouble finding them, 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 very well 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.

Love Irish Recipes?

Make sure you check out McGuire’s Irish Pub Senate Bean Soup and my Homemade Sausage for Traditional Irish Breakfast.

If you’re looking for a good Irish Soda Bread, check out this one from StoneGable!

Looking for more great recipes?

Here are some popular recipes to try!

Easy Chicken Cobbler with Reb Lobster Bay Biscuits

Corn Casserole with Green Chilies and Cream Cheese

Easy Poppyseed Rotisserie Chicken Casserole

Delicious Duncan Hines Lemon Bundt Cake

Easy 3-ingredient Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie with Caramel – Kids love this!

Coffee Cake without Sour Cream – Great for brunch!

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.

Remove the sides from the base of the pan.

Use a pasty brush and grease the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil.

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.

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

Irish Porter Spice Cake With Dried Fruit Recipe

Porter Cake is a fruity and spicy cake that is a traditional recipe in Ireland. Packed with dried fruit this cake is known for its robust flavor and moist texture.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup butter - unsalted
1 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
12 ounces Porter ale or Stout
1 cup golden raisins (aka sultanas)
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cherries (1 - 5 ounce bag)
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of a large orange
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
3 eggs - room temperature

Instructions

Zest the orange and lemon.
Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter.
Once the butter begins to melt, add the brown sugar and stir a few times.
Slowly add the porter. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the dried fruit (golden raisins, raisins, and cherries) and stir a few times.
Add the zest of the orange and lemon and the lemon juice.
Increase the flame to medium-high heat and bring to a boil, continuously stirring.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the pan from heat and let the wet ingredients cool down to room temperature. (see Recipe Tips)
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.
Sift the flour into a large bowl.
Add the nutmeg (freshly grated is so delicious!)
Pour in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice. Whisk until fully mixed.
Slowly fold the fruit mixture into the dry ingredients.
In a small bowl, lightly whisk eggs.
Slowly add the beaten eggs and carefully incorporate them into the cake mixture.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon to even out the batter.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cake is golden brown. (see Recipe Tips)
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.

Notes

Helpful Tools and Equipment

Medium saucepan
Wooden spoon
Sifter or fine mesh strainer
Large mixing bowl
Springform pan
Parchment paper
Plastic wrap
Airtight container
Small bowl
Whisk or fork
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Oven mitts
Toothpick or cake tester
Cooling wire rack

Recipe Tips

Make sure that the fruit mixture is completely cooled before folding it into the dry mixture. To speed up the process, I like to place the mixture into the freezer for about 20 to 30 minutes.

The fruit mixture should be a room temperature, not too hot and not too cold.

While the cake is still very warm, drizzle a couple of tablespoons of porter over the top. The cake will absorb it and become even moister!

While you can eat the cake right after it cools, it is traditional to not cut into it for at least 2 to 3 days. Its flavors develop over time and tastes better after sitting for a few days.

Ovens vary in temperature. Check your cake after 50 minutes. If it needs a little more time, continue baking until fully done.