Rich Fruit Cake

5 from 2 votes

This Rich Fruit Cake recipe will make an 8 inch round cake that can be baked well ahead of the festive or wedding season. Feed it regularly with Brandy, Rum or Whisky and keep it well wrapped, and it will mature over time. It will make the ideal single tier wedding cake and is perfect for a family gathering at Christmas.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2 20

Soaking the fruit.8

Total Time10 40

Course: Afternoon Tea

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Brandy Soaked Fruit, Christmas Cake

Servings:

Calories: 524kcal

Author: Lynn

Equipment

1 x 8 inch Deep sided loose bottomed round cake tin
Baking Parchment
Sheet of thick brown paper

Ingredients

350 grams Currants
225 grams Sultanas
225 grams Raisins
50 grams Glace Cherries
Grated zest of 1 large orange
4 tablespoons Brandy or rum/Whiskey
Juice of 1 large orange. Approx 5 tablespoons
285 grams Self Raising Flour
2 teaspoons Mixed Spice
Pinch of salt
225 grams Unsalted Butter fridge cold and cut into cubes
75 grams Ground Almonds
225 grams Dark soft Brown sugar
6 medium eggs
2 tablespoons of Black Treacle.

Instructions

Mix together the mixed dried fruits, orange zest and Glace Cherries. Pour over the brandy and orange juice and give everything a good mix. Cover the bowl and leave to soak overnight to allow all the fruits to soak up the brandy and orange juice. Give it the occasional stir allowing the fruit to soak up as much of the liquid as possible.
350 grams Currants, 225 grams Sultanas, 225 grams Raisins, 50 grams Glace Cherries, Grated zest of 1 large orange, 4 tablespoons Brandy or rum/Whiskey, Juice of 1 large orange.
The next day when you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 170c deg (Fan assisted). Grease and line 1 x 8 inch/20cm round loose bottom deep-sided cake tin with baking parchment. To help prevent the edges of the cake from baking too dry and possibly burning, line the outside of the tin with a folded sheet of thick brown paper, tied with string.
Mix together the flour, salt, and mixed spice in a large mixing bowl. Rub in the butter using your fingertips, until you have a breadcrumb consistency.
285 grams Self Raising Flour, 2 teaspoons Mixed Spice, Pinch of salt, 225 grams Unsalted Butter
Add the sugar and ground almonds and mix until well combined. Add the eggs, and treacle followed by the overnight soaked fruit, and gently mix everything together until well combined.
75 grams Ground Almonds, 225 grams Dark soft Brown sugar, 6 medium eggs, 2 tablespoons of Black Treacle.
If you have a large electric mixer, use that when giving everything a good mix.
Pour the fruit cake batter into the prepared 8-inch deep-sided cake tin making sure the top is level and smooth. Bake in the oven for 1hr 20mins. Then turn the temperature down to 160 Fan and bake for a further 55 – 60 mins or until the cake is fully baked.
TIP: Towards the end of the baking time, you could place a sheet of baking parchment across the top and over the cake to help prevent any overbaking on the top. To check if the cake is baked, test the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean. If needed bake for a little longer.
Take out of the tin and leave the inner baking parchment lining on the cake. Feed the cake with a couple of tablespoons of Brandy and wrap in more baking parchment. With a further wrap of foil.
Feed with Brandy, Rum or Whisky every other day for a few weeks. Leave wrapped and in an airtight container until required.

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions.

How Long Should You Soak Fruit in Alcohol?

You can soak the fruit in Alcohol for a couple of days and up to a week.

How Do You Wrap and Store a Rich Fruit Cake?

When the cake has cooled completely, double wrap in greaseproof paper or baking parchment with a final wrap in foil. A well wrapped rich fruit cake will keep for several months when stored correctly.

How Do You Feed a Christmas Fruit Cake?

To feed a rich fruit cake make small holes in the top of the cake with a skewer, and pour over with Brandy, rum or Whisky. Do this at regular intervals.

Can You Feed a Fruit Cake Without Alcohol?

Fruit juice is a great alternative to alcohol for soaking fruit, I am not sure it is ideal to feed a cake with fruit juice that is stored for any length of time. Soak the fruit in fruit juice before baking and omit feeding the cake when baked. Simply wrap it well and it will still mature over time.

Oven Times - All ovens are different which means recipe timings are really a guide. Different sized cake tins will bake at different settings and timings. Investing in an oven thermometer is well worth the money.

Cake Tin Sizes -This recipe makes 1 x 8 inch round cake. But it will also make cakes using either of the following deep sided cake tins

• 2 x 6 inch round cakes or

• 1 x 6inch round cake plus 2 x 4 inch round cakes.

Cooking Times for Small Fruit Cakes - The following baking times are meant to be a guide only. As you come towards the end of the baking time, do the skewer test. If it comes out clean, it's baked, if not bake longer testing again at 10 mins intervals.

• 6 inch round tin = 1 hr at 160c then approx 40 mins at 120c

• 4 inch round tin = 1 hr at 160c then approx 20 mins at 120c

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