Tutti Frutti Tea Cake
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
A classic and moist cake, adorned with colorful candied fruits (tutti frutti). Perfect for tea time, this cake is simple to make and very delicious.
This candied fruit cake is a great classic, loved for its buttery texture and fruity character. It slices beautifully with tea or coffee, and tastes even better the day after. The loaf that turns an ordinary afternoon into a moment.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
- 🫗 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 🫗 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 🫗 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 🫗 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 🫗 1/4 cup canola oil
- 🫗 3/4 cup milk
- 🫗 4 eggs
- 🫗 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 🫗 Zest of one lemon
- 🫗 1/2 cup candied fruits (tutti frutti) or dried fruits of choice
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease a loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the oil and mix well.
Incorporate the eggs one by one, then add the lemon juice and zest.
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk.
Lightly coat the candied fruits with a little flour (to prevent them from sinking to the bottom) and gently fold them into the batter.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Tutti Frutti Tea Cake
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Fruits at the bottom: Do not forget to lightly flour the candied fruits before adding them, otherwise their weight will make them sink during baking.
🔄 Variations
Marble Cake: This base is excellent for making a "marble cake"; divide the batter in two and add cocoa powder to one half before marbling them together in the pan.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
Keeps for 4 to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
💡 Chef Tips
Note on fats: For a richer and more traditional version, you can replace the oil with 1/2 cup of additional butter (total 1 cup of butter).
Variations: If you do not have tutti frutti, use raisins, chopped dried fruits or leave the cake plain and simply decorate with crushed nuts on top.
🔗 Related Recipes
About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →