This fruitcake slices into 50-80 small pieces if you use it for a wedding or christening. It’s delicious eaten straight away, or poked with a few holes and fed with brandy. This moist, rich cake is perfect for all special occasion, it is delicious on its own or covered with marzipan and sugar paste or royal icing.
INGREDIENTS
- 350 g / 12 oz Sultanas
- 225 g / 8 oz Raisins
- 115 g / 4 oz Ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
- 85 g / 3 oz Stoned dates, chopped
- 4 tbsp Dark rum or brandy, plus extra for flavoring (optional)
- finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
- 225 g / 8 oz Unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 225 g / 8 oz light muscovado sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 70 g /2 1/2 chopped mixed peel
- 85 g / 3 oz glace cherries, quarted
- 25 g / 1 oz chopped glace ginger or stem ginger
- 40 g / 1 1/2 oz blanched almonds, chopped
- 200 g / 7 oz blanched almonds, chopped
- 200 g / 7 oz Plain flour
- 1 tsp Ground mixed spice
INSTRUCTION
Place the sultanas, raisins, apricots and dates in a large bowl and stir in the rum, orange rind and orange juice. Cover and leave to soak for several hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 150’C / 350’F/ Gas Mark 2. Grease and line a 20-cm / 8-inch round deep cake tin.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, beating hard after each addition. Stir in the soaked fruits, mixed peel, glace cherries, glace ginger and blanched almonds.
Sift together the flour and mixed spice, then fold lightly and evenly into the mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface , making a slight depression in the center with the back of the spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven for 2 1/4 – 2 3/4 hours, or until the cake is beginning to shrink away from the sides and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the tin.
Turn out the cake and remove the lining paper. Wrap in grease-proof paper and foil, and for at least two months before use. To add a richer flavour, prick the cake with a skewer and spoon over a couple of extra tablespoons of rum or brandy, if using, before storing.
Making & Baking 