- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper (makes lifting easy).
2) Mix dry ingredients
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3) Cream butter and sugar
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- This helps give the loaf a soft, fine crumb.
4) Add eggs and vanilla
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Mix in vanilla (and zest/spices if using).
5) Combine wet and dry
- Add dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with milk.
- Mix just until combined—don’t overmix.
6) Fold in tutti frutti
- Toss tutti frutti with 1 tbsp flour (this helps prevent sinking).
- Fold into the batter gently.
7) Bake
- Pour batter into loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 45–55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then lift out and cool completely on a rack.
8) Glaze (optional)
- Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth.
- Drizzle over cooled loaf and let set 10 minutes before slicing.
Serving and Storage:
Slice this loaf thick or thin and serve with tea, coffee, or a glass of milk. It’s also great lightly toasted with a bit of
butter.
- Room temperature: store covered up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: up to 6 days (airtight). Bring to room temp before serving.
- Freeze: wrap slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Tips:
- Measure flour correctly: spoon into the cup and level off to avoid a dry loaf.
- Toss fruit with flour: helps keep it suspended in the batter.
- Don’t overmix: overmixing makes loaf cakes dense.
- Cover if browning fast: tent with foil for the last 10 minutes if needed.
- Best next day: flavors settle and slices cut even cleaner after resting overnight.
Variations:
- Orange-almond: add orange zest + a splash of almond extract.
- Cardamom-pistachio: add cardamom and chopped pistachios for a festive twist.
- Chocolate chip: replace some tutti frutti with mini chocolate chips.
- Coconut: fold in 1/4 cup shredded coconut for extra texture.
- Mini loaves: bake in mini loaf pans; start checking at 25–30 minutes.
Conclusion:
Tutti Frutti Loaf Cake is a simple, joyful bake—soft, buttery, and packed with colorful sweet bites that make every slice
feel special. It’s easy enough for everyday tea time but festive enough for celebrations. Bake it once, and it’ll become one
of those “classic” recipes you reach for whenever you want a reliable loaf that always gets compliments.
FAQ:
What is tutti frutti in baking?
It’s small pieces of candied fruit (usually papaya or mixed fruit) that are sweet, colorful, and stable for baking.
Why did my tutti frutti sink to the bottom?
Toss it with a little flour and make sure your batter isn’t too thin. Also avoid overmixing after adding the fruit.
Can I use mixed candied peel instead?
Yes. It will taste more citrus-forward and slightly bitter-sweet compared to tutti frutti, but it’s delicious.
Can I make this loaf without eggs?
You can try replacing each egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water), but the loaf will be slightly denser.
How do I keep the loaf moist?
Don’t overbake, measure flour carefully, and store the loaf covered once fully cooled.
