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

Cook Time 1

Soaking time 1

Total Time 1 1 30

Servings servings

Calories 301kcal

Author Shireen Sequeira

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.

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