Method
Step 1:
Grease and line a deep cake tin with non-stick baking paper or use a non-stick 10" cake tin.
Step 2:
Wash the fruits and drain through a sieve. Tip into a bowl, and pour the brandy over the mixture. Leave to steep for up to 6 hours.
Step 3:
Preheat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan, gas mark 1). Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
Step 4:
Melt the butter and sugar together in a saucepan, stirring until well mixed, then pour into a mixing bowl.
Step 5:
Add the treacle and mix well, then add the eggs and mix again.
Step 6:
Sift in the flour, baking powder and spices and fold in well, then stir in the steeped fruit and remaining liquid, the glacé ginger and vanilla extract.
Step 7:
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin and turn out when cold.
Step 8:
To store wrap in a double layer of greaseproof paper and a layer of foil. Store at room temperature to mature for up to 6 weeks prior to the event. Once covered in marzipan and icing, this cake will keep for a further 6 months at room temperature. Alternatively, store in the freezer wrapped in a double layer of greaseproof paper and double layer of foil pretty much indefinitely.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 250g Butter (unsalted)
- 360g Glacé cherries (halved)
- 480g Sultanas
- 450g Raisins
- 550g Currants
- 225ml Brandy
- 260g Billington's unrefined dark muscovado
- 1 tbsp Black treacle
- 5 Egg(s) (free range) (large, lightly beaten)
- 240g Allinson's Plain White Flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon (ground)
- 1 tsp Nutmeg (ground)
- 1 tsp Cloves (ground)
- 1 tsp Mixed spice
- 40g Glacé ginger
- 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
Utensils
- 10in round cake tin
Nutritional Information
per 118g- 423cal Energy
- 10g Fat
- 5.8g of which Saturates
- 72g Carbohydrates
- 65g of which Sugars
- 4.1g Protein
- 0.16g Salt
Recipe Reviews
I made two for Christmas one for us and one for my daughter, I am now making one for her birthday in April .
My daughter has asked for more brandy over the fruit.
Very simple recipe to follow, looked great straight from the oven and two months later we had the best Christmas cake ever!
I'm an ex chef & pastry chef. This sure beats the traditional way of creaming the butter then adding eggs in volume x4 cakes as it's quite difficult to handle at home...
However, I've now used this recipe for years- Christmas & wedding cakes. Doesn't even matter if you make it a week before eating. It's just so fabulously moist , easy to follow.
**Tip here, for those who said cake was lumpy with fruit on top. With wet hands, smooth the cake down, slightly dipping into the middle, then using parchment or any paper, foil etc. Cut a piece of parchment to fit over the top & 2 sides (if it covers all sides,no problem.)
Make a hole roughly in the middle and centre the paper with hole over the cake then with a bit of the batter, 'glue the sides down. Especially important for a fan forced oven!
This works for all cakes and never ever open the oven door until your cake/bread/pastry has at least been cooking for 1/2 of the recommended time. Your cake will go flat.
** not so much this fruit cake but lighter cakes...
:) I hope this helps ♡♡♡
I've made very similar before, but it contained ground almonds, and chopped walnuts. Could I omit some of the flour, (60g) and replace with nuts?
Really easy instructions to follow and very quick to prepare. Cake turned out really well and tasted great!
I am not really a fruitcake lover but this cake truely is the best I have ever tasted. It is so delicious, I have made it for the last 3 Christmas's. It is easy to make, full of fruit and lovely and moist. Just perfect!!
Ingredients
For the cake
- 250g Butter (unsalted)
- 360g Glacé cherries (halved)
- 480g Sultanas
- 450g Raisins
- 550g Currants
- 225ml Brandy
- 260g Billington's unrefined dark muscovado
- 1 tbsp Black treacle
- 5 Egg(s) (free range) (large, lightly beaten)
- 240g Allinson's Plain White Flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon (ground)
- 1 tsp Nutmeg (ground)
- 1 tsp Cloves (ground)
- 1 tsp Mixed spice
- 40g Glacé ginger
- 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
Utensils
- 10in round cake tin
Nutritional Information
per 118g- 423cal Energy
- 10g Fat
- 5.8g of which Saturates
- 72g Carbohydrates
- 65g of which Sugars
- 4.1g Protein
- 0.16g Salt