FRUIT CAKE RECIPES

We’ve selected our most often requested fruit cake recipes just for you. They are all different – some fruit cakes are suitable for making the whole year round; the richer ones are ideal for Christmas, weddings, 21st birthdays and so on. They make an excellent substitute for sponge cakes, although some people (including Sheila) would prefer a sponge cake to a fruit cake.

I remember in my past, an age old custom of eating fruit cake with cheese. Not so daft it may seem when you look at a cheese board and see the fruits that usually accompany the board – grapes, apples etc.

Fruit cake will keep and cut best if stored in the refrigerator. They will all freeze successfully for several months, though there is no need to freeze the richer fruit cake because of the high alcohol and sugar content which tend to act as preservatives. From these eight fruit cake recipes, you should find one which suits your needs.

GRAND MARNIER FRUIT CAKE

500g sultanas
250g mixed peel
125g raisins
125g dates
125g prunes
125g glace apricots
125g glace pineapple
60g blanched slivered almonds
60g walnut pieces
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
½ cup Grand Marnier
½ cup caster sugar
¼ cup orange juice
250g butter
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs
2 cups plain flour

Place sultanas and peel in large basin, chop all fruit the same size as a sultana and add to the basin. Mix in almonds, walnuts and orange rind. Sprinkle caster sugar evenly into heavy based pan, place over medium heat, cook until sugar is beginning to melt and brown, gently stir sugar until
completely melted and golden brown. Remove from heat, add orange juice, return to heat, stir constantly until toffee pieces are dissolved. Do not boil mixture; this will evaporate too much of the liquid. Add Grand Marnier, strain to remove any small pieces of toffee; cool.

Place fruit mixture in airtight container or large jar which has tight fitting screw-top, pour Grand Marnier mixture over fruit mixture. Seal with plastic lid, stand overnight. Next day, invert jar or mix fruit mixture well. Do this for 10 days.

Beat butter until soft, add brown sugar, beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beat only until combined before adding the next egg. Pour fruit mixture into large basin, add creamed mixture, mix well; use your hand for most efficient mixing. Add sifted flour; mix well.

Prepare a deep 20cm square or deep 23cm round cake tin by lining base and sides with three thicknesses of greaseproof paper. Bring lining paper 5cm above edge of tin. Spread mixture evenly into tin, bake in slow oven 3 to 3% hours. Brush top evenly with about 2 tablespoons extra Grand
Marnier, cover with aluminium foil, leave until cold before removing from tin. To Store cake: remove foil and tin, do not remove lining paper, wrap cake securely in plastic food wrap to make airtight, store in cool dark place, preferably in refrigerator. This cake will keep for at least a year.

To decorate cake with Marzipan Oranges: Buy a packet of almond paste from a health food store (some supermarkets stock it). Dust hands well with sifted pure icing sugar. Roll pieces of paste into balls, place small part of clove in position on orange.

Use skewer to roll orange gently over grater to give effect of orange skin. Stand oranges on wire rack to dry overnight. Paint with orange food colouring, leave to dry overnight. Arrange oranges with fresh or artificial holly and toasted almonds on top of cake.

CELEBRATION CAKE

500g sultanas
250g raisins
250g dates
125g currants
125g mixed peel
125g glace cherries
60g glace pineapple
60g glace apricots
½ cup rum, brandy, whisky or sherry
250g butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs
1 ½ cups plain flour
1/3 cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice

Chop raisins, dates, peel, cherries, pineapple and apricots the same size as sultanas; combine in large basin with sultanas, currants and rum; mix well. Cover, stand overnight or up to a week. Line a deep 20cm square or deep 23cm round cake tin with three thicknesses of greaseproof paper; bring paper 5cm above edges of tin.

Beat butter until soft; add sugar; beat only until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add creamed mixture to fruit mixture; mix well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients; mix thoroughly. Spread evenly into prepared tin; bake in slow oven 3 to 3 ½ hours. When cooked, brush evenly with about 2 tablespoons extra rum. Cover tightly with aluminium foil; leave until cold. Remove foil and tin, leave lining paper intact. Wrap in plastic food wrap. Store for up to a year in refrigerator.

FESTIVE FRUIT AND NUT CAKE

250g dates
125g glace pineapple
125g glace apricots
125g red glace cherries
125g green glace cherries
125g whole blanched almonds
250g brazil nuts
2 eggs
½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon rum
90g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
3 tablespoons self-raising flour

Chop pineapple and apricots into fairly large pieces; leave remaining fruit and nuts whole. Mix all well together. Beat eggs until thick and creamy, add sugar, vanilla, rum and soft butter, beating until combined. Stir in sifted flours and fruit and nut mixture.

Divide mixture between 2 greased bar tins (base measures 7cm x 25cm) with base lined with greaseproof paper. Press mixture firmly into tins. Bake in slow oven 1% hours or until cake is firm to touch; cool in tin 10 minutes. When cold, wrap in plastic food wrap and refrigerate in airtight
- container for at least 3 months.

RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE (MAZURKA)

This is a very slender cake, quite different from our traditional Christmas cake. it is ideal for those who do not like a hearty, rich fruit cake.

125g currants
125g sultanas
125g raisins
125g dates
125g figs
125g blanched almonds
125g mixed peel
60g glace cherries
60g glace pineapple
3 eggs
1/3 cup honey
1 ¼ cups plain flour

Combine currants and sultanas in basin, chop all other fruit and almonds the same size as sultanas, add to basin with lightly beaten eggs, honey and sifted flour. Mix well until ingredients are combined thoroughly.

Press mixture evenly over base of greased and lined swiss roll tin (base measures 25cm x 30cm), bake in slow oven for 1 hour, cool in tin. Cut when cold. Store in airtight container, refrigerated, for up to a month.

RICH BOILED FRUIT CAKE

750g mixed fruit
250g dates
125g glace cherries
125g butter
¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ cup water
½ cup sherry
2 eggs
2 tablespoons marmalade
1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup plain flour

Line a deep 20cm round cake tin with two thicknesses of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 5cm above edge of tin. Chop mixed fruit and dates, halve cherries; combine in pan with butter, sugar, spice and water. Stir over heat until butter is melted; bring to boil; boil uncovered 3 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to become completely cold.

Add sherry, eggs and marmalade; mix well. Add sifted flours, mix well; spread evenly into prepared tin, bake in moderately slow oven about 2 hours. Cover with aluminium foil, cool in tin. Remove foil and tin, leave lining paper intact, refrigerate in plastic food wrap for up to a month.

GOLDEN FRUIT CAKE

Golden Fruit Cake is a rich, buttery, light cake, ideal for the festive season and a nice change from the traditional style of fruit cake.

250g sultanas
125g mixed peel
60g slivered almonds
125g glace cherries
125g glace pineapple
125g glace apricots
125g glace ginger
250g butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cup castor sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ cups plain flour

Line a deep, 20cm round cake tin with three layers of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 5cm above edge of tin. Combine sultanas, peel and almonds in bowl, add chopped glace fruit.

Cream butter, lemon rind and sugar; beat in eggs one at a time. Stir into fruit mixture, then stir in sifted flour. Spread mixture evenly in tin, decorate top with almonds if desired. Bake in slow oven for 3 hours or until cooked when tested. Cool, covered in tin. When cold, refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 months.

BOILED PINEAPPLE FRUIT CAKE

470g can crushed pineapple
500g mixed fruit
125g butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1 cup self-raising flour

Line deep 20cm round cake tin with two thicknesses of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 5cm above edges of tin. Combine undrained pineapple, chopped fruit, butter, sugar, spice and soda in pan. Stir over heat until sugar is dissolved, bring to boil; boil uncovered 3 minutes. Allow to become cold. When cold, add eggs and sifted flours, mix well. Spread into prepared tin. Bake in moderately slow oven 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Cover, leave in tin until completely cold. Remove from tin, leave lining paper intact. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to a week.

MELT-AND-MIX FRUIT CAKE

1 ½ kg mixed fruit
½ cup sherry, rum, whisky or brandy
1 Granny Smith apple
1 tablespoon honey or golden syrup
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
250g butter
4 eggs
1 ½ cups plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice

Place chopped mixed fruit in large basin, add sherry, peeled and coarsely grated apple, honey, sugar and eggs; mix well with wooden spoon or hand to break up any large clumps of fruit. Add cooled, melted butter, sifted flours and spice; mix thoroughly. Place in deep 23cm round or deep 20cm square cake tin lined with three sheets of greaseproof paper. Bring paper 5cm above edge of tin.

Bake in slow oven 3 ½ hours or until cooked when tested. Remove from oven, brush evenly with about 2 tablespoons of extra sherry, cover tightly with aluminium foil, leave until cold. Remove from tin, leaving lining paper intact. Refrigerate in plastic food wrap for at least 6 months.

baking with Bill & Sheila

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