Monday 22 December 2014

fruit cake

so I'm probably a bit late with the Christmas baking but today after a quick trip to the shops to pick up some supplies I set to making a fruit cake. I based my recipe on a CWA recipe (always a winner in my book) for Glad Shute's Christmas Fruit Cake. I left out the alcohol as I didn't have any on hand.

1.375kg mixed fruit. I decided to make up my own combination rather than use the pre-mixed variety. (250g pitted prunes, 375g dried figs, 200g dried apricots, 550g sultanas)
250g butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup or molasses
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves

Combine all these ingredients in a large pot and place over medium heat on the stove top. Bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes.
Leave to cool.

4 eggs
1/2 cup hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon bi-carb soda
2 cups plain flour (I used spelt flour)
1 1/2 cups SR flour
1 cup chopped nuts (I used half almonds and half macadamias

Beat eggs in a small bowl along with vanilla. Add to cooled fruit mixture.
Dissolve the bi-carb in the hot water and stir into the fruit mixture.
Fold in the flour and chopped nuts.

Bake for 3 hours at 160 degrees Celsius in lined cake tin/s .
Will make one large round cake or two smaller ones.
Cut a round of brown paper to place over the top of the cake while cooking to avoid a burnt top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slowly, with the tin wrapped in a towel.

Store by wrapping in foil and placing in a cake tin. enjoy.
 
wishing you a lovely Christmas. x

5 comments:

  1. Oh that goldfish tin...love it! The cake looks wonderful too x

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  2. Mmm Looks good Zara. I bet the smells were divine while baking it. IF I am to make it, what alcohol and quantity was suggested in the recipe?

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  3. I used to love the mixing of the fruit (the pot put on the floor so I could mix it as a child) and the wrapping and sealing of the cakes so they didn't burn. My nana would bake cakes for every man and their dog. I can remember her giving cakes to the staff at Woolworths - that's how incredibly generous she is. I asked her if she was baking many this year - she lives interstate - but she's getting on and the number of cakes has decreased. There was still a pretty impressive list though.

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  4. I'm with Jane - love the goldfish tin :)

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  5. I made my first Christmas cake this year! Very similar recipe to yours. Yours looks beautiful. It should taste as good as it looks! Merry Christmas to you and I hope you're settling in to your new place nicely. Xx

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