Name: Rich fruit cake
Cook time: 160 min
Total time: 160 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 1/3 cup (55g) seeded prunes, halved; 1 1/2 cup (240g) sultanas; 1 1/2 cup (240g) dried currants; 1/2 cup (125ml) sweet sherry; 1/2 cup (125ml) brandy; 125 gram butter,softened; 1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar; 3 eggs; 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules; 1/4 cup (60ml) hot water; 1/4 cup (80g) plum jam; 1 cup (150g) plain flour; 3/4 cup (110g) self-raising flour; 1 tablespoon cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 1/2 cup (300g) glacé cherries; 1 1/2 cup (210g) seeded dates, halved; 1 cup (170g) mixed peel; 2 cup (220g) walnuts, coarsely chopped

Ingredients

1/3 cup (55g) seeded prunes, halved

1 1/2 cup (240g) sultanas

1 1/2 cup (240g) dried currants

1/2 cup (125ml) sweet sherry

1/2 cup (125ml) brandy

125 gram butter,softened

1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

1/4 cup (60ml) hot water

1/4 cup (80g) plum jam

1 cup (150g) plain flour

3/4 cup (110g) self-raising flour

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cup (300g) glacé cherries

1 1/2 cup (210g) seeded dates, halved

1 cup (170g) mixed peel

2 cup (220g) walnuts, coarsely chopped

Method

1.Combine prunes, sultanas and currants in large bowl, stir in sherry and brandy. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, stand in a cool, dark place overnight or up to a week, stirring every day.

2.Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced). Grease deep 22cm-round or deep 19cm-square cake pan, line base and side(s) of pan with four thicknesses of baking paper, extending paper 5cm above sides(s).

3.Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer only until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

4.Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in the combined coffee and the water and jam, then the sifted dry ingredients in two batches. Drain prune mixture, reserve liquid. Stir prune mixture, cherries, dates, peel and nuts into cake mixture.

5.Spread mixture into pan. Bake about 2 hours.

6.Brush reserved prune liquid over hot cake, cover tightly with foil, cool cake in pan overnight.

Cake can be made up to three months ahead.
Note

Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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