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Rich Fruit Cake

A moist fruit cake made with dried fruit, mixed spice, orange zest and more - a perfect treat for the festive season
Course Baking
Cuisine International
Keyword Christmas Cake, Dry Fruits, Fruit Cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Soaking time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 301kcal

Ingredients

Fruits to be soaked:

  • 50 grams Sultanas (dried seedless white grapes a little more plum & golden than regular raisins)
  • 50 grams Raisins dried white grapes
  • 50 grams Currants dried black seedless grapes
  • 50 grams Figs r roughly chopped
  • 50 grams Apricots roughly chopped
  • 50 grams Prunes pitted and roughly chopped
  • 100 ml brandy or rum
  • Soak the above dry fruits & keep covered. You can keep overnight or over several days if preferred in an airtight jar, stirring once a day

For the mixed spice

  • 1 tsp Coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp All Spice
  • 1/2 tsp Dry Ginger
  • 1/4 tsp Cloves
  • 1/4 tsp Green Cardamom seeds

For the Cake

  • 225 grams Flour
  • 1 tsp Mixed spice
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 225 grams muscovado sugar (or any dark or light soft brown variety)
  • 225 grams Unsalted Butter
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tbsp Rind of orange - finely chopped
  • 50 grams Walnuts or almonds roughly chopped

Instructions

  • - Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, salt & mixed spice. Keep aside
  • - Roll the nuts in some flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake
  • - Grease a 8" pan with butter & dust it with flour evenly across the bottom & the sides of the pan OR line the baking dish with parchment paper
  • - Set aside 1 cup of the sugar for caramelising and toss the remaining into a large bowl and add the butter (at room temperature)
  • - Beat butter & sugar till fluffy for about 3-4 minutes (till the mixture looks a bit pale)
  • - Add 1 egg at a time, mixing it well & beating it along with the butter & sugar. Beat for a minute & repeat with the next egg till all eggs have been blended well. If the mixture appears like its curdling sprinkle some flour
  • - Add the flour & orange juice alternately ensuring that everything is well mixed
  • - Take a thick bottomed pan & add the sugar set aside for caramelising and stir on low flame till it becomes a blackish syrup syrup. Add 1/2 cup of hot water but be careful as the syrup & hot water combo may splutter
  • - Add the caramelised syrup to the batter
  • - Stir in the soaked dry fruits and the nuts and the rind
  • - Fold well. Test the consistency of the batter by dropping a little from the spatula from a height. If its too dry, it wont budge! If its too watery, it will be all sloppy. You just need the right consistency. So you can add either a little flour (about 1 tbsp) or some warm milk (abt 2tbsps) as the case may be
  • - Preheat oven to 140 degree celcius for about 5-6 mins
  • - Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and place on the centre rack of the oven
  • - Bake for 55-60 minutes and check if the cake is done (skewer/knife comes out clean)
  • - When the cake is done, remove & cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container
  • - You can use the brandy that was used to soak the fruits to also feed the cake. This is to ensure that the cake remains moist & increase its longevity. Poke a few holes on the surface of the cake with a toothpick or skewer and pour a few drops of the brandy or rum once a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 534IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg