Method
Step 1:
Grease and line a deep cake tin with non-stick baking paper or use a non-stick 8" 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 Unrefined dark muscovado sugar
- 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
- 8in round cake tin
Recipe Reviews
Amazing cake!
Made 2 cakes for a golden wedding anniversary. I thought the mixture was too much for the tin sizes, so I put them in the next sized cake tin. Decorated them with marzipan and fondant and they were gorgeous! The cut really well too -no crumbling. They were a great success. Will definitely make this recipe again.
Absolutely delicious cake! I made it gluten free by using buckwheat, instead of wheat, flour (use the same weight). I’m not a fan of glacé cherries, so replaced them (and the ginger) with other glacé fruits, rinsed and sliced/chopped. Baking time was more like 4.5 hours, but worth every extra minute. This was a practice for my ACTUAL wedding cake, and I will definitely be making this again in time for the big day.
Amazing cake. So easy and very delicious. The whole family enjoyed it, even the non fruit cake lovers (aka weirdos)
Hi i have soaked the fruits for about a month .....hope it's not a problem....... And is it OK if I reduce 480 g from the total weight of the soaked fruits... Or should I change the measurement of my cake?
Can this be made a week before Christmas.
________________________________________________
Hello,
Yes this would keep fine in an air tight tin.
Happy Baking!
Ingredients
For the cake
- 250g Butter (unsalted)
- 360g Glacé cherries (halved)
- 480g Sultanas
- 450g Raisins
- 550g Currants
- 225ml Brandy
- 260g Unrefined dark muscovado sugar
- 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
- 8in round cake tin