Fruit Cake

To be honest I didn't like fruit cake for the longest of time.  It has only been in the last handful of years that I have succumbed to it's dense satisfying texture.

Saying that, I feel like I am becoming somewhat of a fruit cake connoisseur of late.  My Mum makes a gorgeous fruit cake (she is famous for it) and we were lucky enough to have received more than one from her during the year.  Yum! 

My Honey's Mum also baked us one just last week which also stood out for all the right reasons.  Rich, dense, and lusciously crumbly - just perfect.

Oh yes - this particular cake satisfied all the criteria.  It was actually so good I begged her for the recipe to share with you.

She happily obliged so here is the recipe:

Amount for 23cm tin

500g butter
500g brown sugar
8 eggs
670g flour
830g sultanas
830g currants
330g raisins
1½ tsp mixed spice
3 tblsp golden syrup
150ml rum/brandy
150g slivered almonds (optional)

Prepare cake tin by lining with 2 layers of brown paper, then 2 layers of greaseproof paper, lining bottom and sides of tin.

Set oven to 110˚C

* Cream butter and sugar. Beat in golden syrup.
* Add each egg separately and beat well after each addition until mixture is stiff and firm.
* Stir in flour, spice, fruit, rum or brandy. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
* Spoon carefully into prepared tin. Bake in a slow oven for approximately 7 hours.

If oven seems too hot, turn oven down to 105˚C. (I usually put a folded newspaper on the oven tray underneath the tin).  Leave the cake in the tin to cool. A little extra rum, or brandy, spooned over the cake when it is almost cool wouldn’t go amiss!

Spread top and sides lightly with warmed apricot jam, cover with almond paste (if using), then ice with preferred icing.

Happy baking  xx