Overview
- Prep time: 30 minutes (+ overnight soaking)
- Cook time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: One large 8-inch round cake (Serves 20)
Ingredients:
For the Macerated Fruit Blend:
- 1 kg mixed dried fruits (sultanas, raisins, currants, glace cherries, and candied citrus peel)
- ¾ cup (180ml) dark rum or brandy (plus extra for weekly feeding)
- Zest and juice of 1 fresh orange
For the Cake Batter:
- 250g unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
- 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp black treacle or dark molasses (for that deep, rich colour)
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 50g ground almonds (keeps the cake intensely moist)
- 2 tsp mixed spice (or a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice)
- ½ tsp salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Soak the Fruits (The Day Before)
- In a large glass bowl, combine the 1kg of mixed dried fruits, orange zest, and orange juice.
- Pour the brandy or dark rum over the fruit. Toss well to ensure everything is evenly coated.
- Cover tightly with cling wrap and leave to macerate at room temperature for at least 12 hours (or overnight) to plump up beautifully.
2. Prep Your Pan and Oven
- Preheat your oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced).
- Grease a deep 8-inch (20cm) round cake tin with melted butter. Line the base and sides with a double layer of non-stick baking paper, letting the paper extend about 2 inches above the rim. Traditional tip: Wrapping the outside of the tin with a layer of brown paper or newspaper protects the edges from burning during the long bake.
3. Mix the Rich Batter
- Using a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar together for 3–5 minutes until pale, light, and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the black treacle.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground almonds, mixed spice, and salt.
- Gently fold the dry flour mixture into the wet creamed butter batter until just combined.
- Tip the alcohol-soaked fruit mixture (including any leftover pool of liquid at the bottom) into the batter. Use a heavy wooden spoon or spatula to fold until the fruits are uniformly distributed.
4. Slow-Bake to Perfection
- Spoon the dense batter into your prepared tin and smooth down the surface. Use the back of a spoon to make a very slight dip in the middle—this ensures the fruit cake bakes perfectly level rather than doming.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 3 to 3.5 hours. Test by inserting a clean wooden skewer into the centre; it should come out completely clean with no wet batter attached.
- Remove from the oven. While the cake is hot, poke holes across the top with a skewer and spoon over an extra 2 tablespoons of brandy or rum.
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Wrap the entire tin in a clean tea towel and leave it to cool completely overnight before unmolding.
- How to Mature (Age) Your Fruit Cake
If you are preparing this weeks in advance, wrap the completely cooled cake tightly in parchment paper, followed by a double layer of aluminum foil, and store it in an airtight tin. Once every two weeks, unwrap the cake, poke holes across the surface, and "feed" it with 1–2 tablespoons of alcohol. Stop feeding the cake one week before slicing to let the surface dry out.