Best Ever English Rich Fruit Cake
I've tried many recipes over the years but always come back to this one Its always consistent never dry and makes a really good base for christmas or wedding cakes marzipanned and can be iced with fondant or royal icing. It keeps for ages and is definitely better made at least 2 months in advance then wrapped in greaseproof paper and foil.
This recipe will make a decent sized 9" square or 10" round but if you need a different size mail me because it doesn't work if you doulble or halve the recipe.
currants 775g
sultanas 375g
raisins 375g
glace cherries 250g
flaked almonds 150g
1/2 lemon zest
plain flour 600g
mixed spice 1 tsp
cinnamon 1tsp
butter 500g
soft dark brown sugar 500g
beaten eggs 9
brandy
baking time 4 1/2 hours at gas mark 2 150c or 300f
dump all the fruit nuts and lemon zest in a big bowl with a good glug of brundy while you make the cake (no need to soak overnight)
sift flour and spices.
put butter and sugar into bowl and cream well until light and fluffy, add beaten egg a little at a time beating well after each addition add a tiny bit of flour each time to prevent curdling. gradually fold in the remaining flour lightly before dumping this mixture on top of the fruit and fold in really well. spoon the mixture into a deep tin prepared with a double layer of greaseproof paper and make a slight depression in the top of the mixture. wrap the tin in 2 layers of ordinary brown paper and stand on a baking try also with 2 layers of brown paper bake in the centre of the oven and about half way through cooking cover with a large sheet of thick card with a hole cut in the centre to stop the top overbrowning. continue cooking till a knife inserted comes out clean (this can take a bit longer than stated depending on your oven and the fruit) when cooked remove from the oven and drizzle with another 2 or 3 tablespoons of brandy while still hot. allow to cool completely before removing from the tin then ease the cake out (dont remove the greaseproof lining paper) wrap in another layer of greaseproof and then double wrap in foil. Now each week unwrap and drizzle with more brandy before re-wrapping. day before covering with marzipan unwran and remove liner turn cake upside down and drizzle with brandy one more time re- wrap. to marzipan brush on hot sieved apricot jam and marzipan, leave for 48 hours to firm and then ice with either royal icing or fondant. (if using fondant brush the marzipan with either vodke or gin).
try it i'm sure you will love this cake!!!!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Katy Nott on
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No, I'm going to leave the big one. This is the Christmas cake and it's going to be decorated and everything.
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Yes, yes, and yes again! Today's conversation went something like this -
Husband - We got any cake anywhere?
Me - Yes we do. We have the small version of Les' fruit cake
Husband - Ah. Are we going to cut it then?
Me - Yes, I need to know if it's come out OK
Husband - Terrific!
(15 minutes later)
Me - Well, how was it?
Husband - mmm lovely. Nice taste, moist. Am I going to be working my way through that one now?
Me - Yep, you sure are
Husband - RESULT.
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Permalink Reply by Les Brown on
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Lol that gives me a big chuckle I gather it turned out good then great you have a partner that enjoys all your hard work mine never eats cake which I guess explains why he's skinny and I'm not haha! Well you have to check that your creations taste good - oh how many times have I used that as an excuse :)
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I know Les, I know. When I first met Mick (some 35 years ago), he didn't eat cake or desserts either. Poor chap then found out what he had been missing. He never had anyone who was any good at cooking at all really, certainly not baking, then he discovered my mother. The rest is history, as is his slim waistline!
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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on
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My hubby too
His Mom was abandoned as a child, well 13. Mom died, Dad took off. Lived with a tyrannical Uncle. She left at 15 & walked from the small village to Krakow (Poland). She was on her own fending for herself until she married TaTa when they were detained in a German farm camp. She had to teach herself everything. She was a pretty good cook, but zero in baking. I tried to teach her to make pastry, & she taught me to make cabbage rolls & pierogies. Lets just say, I told her to stick to the Polish cooking. She just couldn't bake sweets to save her life. So my hubby loved all my baking, my cookies, squares, cake, pies..... I became the resident Kowalczyk dessert maker!! Steve still does, but I don't bake much now. No one to eat it, & we sure don't need it. Thanks to Mama, I do make wicked cabbage rolls. :0)
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I find every excuse I can to bake June - I love it. It's not just caking, but everything about 'baking'. Bread, pies, tarts, danish pastries. When I do a family occasion dinner, nothing is shop bought now that I don't work anymore and I have the time to make everything. The only thing I don't do is make my own pastry - too much faffing about when you can buy perfectly good stuff.
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I bake bread, and make most things from scratch now that I am retired. Not too many cookies, but everything else. I will be making Halloween cookies & cupcakes in next week or so for neighborhood children. The parents know me, so they have come to expect the "treats". Kinda fun. Bought some new Halloween cutters to try.
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Permalink Reply by Goreti on
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It's an epidemic. I've been doing the same thing. Always do this at this time of year. Weather gets cooler and I start baking. Also love to try new recipes. Hubby was complaining last night that he is putting on weight. I love to cook too so he's been trying out some new stuff. Only problem is I have a tendency to make too much. I have to get used to the fact that I'm only cooking for 2 now. Although my brother-in-law & his wife don't mind when I bring leftovers over there. lol
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Same here Goreti. As soon as it becomes fall, I feel like baking. My son does still live at home (28 yr ), trying to pay off school debt, but he is quite health conscious. So he does't always want to eat the cookies, cupcakes etc. I make. Plus, he is never home, always at his girlfriends house. But I will begin to make bread again, probably today to go with my homemade chili tonight. Love making soup. I also tend to make too much, but do have a few young families here where the Mom's work, so I can always share. But most times my son takes the leftovers to work for lunch.
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We have soup every day. I make a pot of soup every couple of days. Great way to get some veggies besides potatoes into hubby. He loves soup. If we go a day or two without soup, he misses it. Yesterday made focaccia bread w/kalamata olives, roasted red pepper & parmesan cheese, albacore tuna steak, baked mashed potatoes and broccoli seasoned with lemon pepper. I give him potatoes so he doesn't complain about the other veggies. lol That was after he had his plate of soup. Made his sandwich for lunch today on the focaccia bread. He has "biscoitos" (cookies) for a snack. Mind you I haven't even tasted the biscoitos which I love but they smell wonderful. I broke down and had a little bread this morning. I try to stay away from bread.
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ooh Goreti, all sounds delicious - can I come over? (And now we're taking over Les' page!)
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