by Louise » Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:24 am
Light fruit cake
185g unsalted butter
115g superfine sugar
3 eggs
160g golden raisins
3 tbsps chopped candied apricots
3 tbsps chopped candied figs (I have used mixed peel in the past when I couldn't find apricots and figs)
240g chopped candied cherries plus extra to decorate
80g macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
185g all-purpose flour
60g self raising flour
125ml milk
1 tbsp sweet sherry
Preheat the oven to 160. Grease and line a 7 inch square cake tin.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the fruit and nuts.
Sift in half the flours and add half the milk, stir to combine, then add the remaining flours and milk and the sherry.
Spoon into the prepared tin and tap to remove any air bubbles. Smooth the surface and decorate the top with cherries.
Wrap the outside of the tin with newspaper. Sit the tin on several layers of newspaper in the oven and bake for 1 3/4 - 2 hours until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top starts to darken too much during cooking, cover with greaseproof paper.
Remove from the oven and wrap the tin in a dish towel until cool.
Boiled fruit cake
250g unsalted butter
185g soft brown sugar
1kg mixed dried fruit
1/2 cup sweet sherry
1/2 tsp baking soda
185g self raising flour
125g all purpose flour
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat the oven to 180. Lightly grease an 8 inch round cake tin.
Put the butter, brown sugar, mixed fruit, sherry and 185ml of water in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the baking soda and set aside to cool.
Sift the flours and spice into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg to the fruit mixture, mix well, then pour into the well and mix thoroughly. Pour into the tin and smooth the surface. Wrap the outside of the tin in newspaper and sit on several layers of newspaper in the oven.
Bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin for at least an hour before turning out to cool. (The flavour improves after standing for 3 days)
(The colour of the cake will depend on what fruit is used. For a dark colour use raisins, currants and golden raisins, for a lighter colour use chopped candied fruit).