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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lol yeh - Linda snooping round the kitchen, head down, tail up, sniff, sniff, sniffing!
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Yo Les! Just done my online grocery shop for all my ingredients, for when Mick and I get back from holiday on the 13th October and I'm going to make this as soon as we get back. How much marzipan would I need to cover a 9" square? I've decided to hell with the nut allergy guy - he wouldn't eat this anyway probably! Just have to keep it away from him lol. I love nuts and marzipan and I am constantly deprived of it because of him, so for once, I'm going to do something for my benefit.
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Permalink Reply by Les Brown on
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hey Katy good for you depends how thick you want your marzipan, personally I like it a good quarter inch thick (like you I just love the stuff). but i almost never weigh it out as I'm usually doing more than 1 cake at once, I dont take orders for Christmas cakes but instead give them as gifts so I usually end up making between 15 and 20 of them depending on whose been naughty and whose been nice lol but I'm guessing if you use about 2lb see how you go and if you got any left you can wrap it and use it on something else later.
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15 - 20 Christmas cakes? Holy crap that's a lot of cake!
Les Brown said:hey Katy good for you depends how thick you want your marzipan, personally I like it a good quarter inch thick (like you I just love the stuff). but i almost never weigh it out as I'm usually doing more than 1 cake at once, I dont take orders for Christmas cakes but instead give them as gifts so I usually end up making between 15 and 20 of them depending on whose been naughty and whose been nice lol but I'm guessing if you use about 2lb see how you go and if you got any left you can wrap it and use it on something else later.
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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on
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I agree Katy..... I make treats for family as gifts too... but wouldn't make 15-20!!! Yikes
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lol saves me worrying what to buy people for christmas they get cake like it or lump it lol
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Hee Hee..... I hear ya Les!!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Linda Wolff on
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How do I get on your Christmas list, Les?? lol
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Lol don't know if it would ever get as far as the US without getting munched by customs
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lol nice try Katy but soooo much better when you do it yourself otherwise your never gonna cure your dry old cake issue hahahaha!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Glenda Mendello on
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I have never made this cake but want to try it this year, thank you for the BEST recipe!! I have a question about wraping the tin in brown paper. Is this a brown paper grocery bag or is there special brown bakery paper that I should buy. Would parchment paper work? And for the large thick card, do you use cardboard or something like a thick poster board?
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