Super-moist rich fruit cake
As the name suggests, this rich fruit cake is super-moist thanks to the high proportion of fruit to cake which gives it a similar texture to Christmas pudding.
- 4 hrs 30 mins cooking
- Serves 36
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup (380g) raisins, chopped coarsely
- 3 cup (480g) sultanas
- 3/4 cup (110g) currants
- 1 cup (250g) quartered red glacé cherries
- 1 1/2 cup (250g) seeded prunes, coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup (120g) honey
- 1/2 cup (125ml) brandy
- 250 gram butter, softened
- 1 cup (220g) firmly packed black sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup (185g) plain flour
- 2 tablespoon brandy, extra
Method
- 1Combine fruit, honey and brandy in large bowl, cover, stand overnight.
- 2Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan forced) to slow. Line base and sides of deep 19cm-square cake pan with three thicknesses baking paper, bringing paper 5cm above sides of pan.
- 3Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until just combined, beat in eggs, one at a time, until just combined between additions. (Mixture may curdle at this point, but will come together later).
- 4Add butter mixture to fruit mixture with flour, mix thoroughly with one hand.
- 5Drop dollops of mixture into corners of pan to hold baking paper in position, spread remaining mixture into pan.
- 6Drop cake pan from a height of about 15cm onto bench to settle mixture into pan and to break any large air bubbles, level surface of cake mixture with wet metal spatula.
- 7Bake cake in slow oven about 4 hours. (Cover cake loosely with foil during baking if it starts to overbrown. Give the cake quarter turns several times during baking to avoid it browning unevenly.)
- 8Remove cake from oven, brush with extra brandy. Cover pan tightly with foil, cool cake in pan.
Notes
This cake is very moist, due to the proportion of fruit to flour, which gives it a similar texture to Christmas pudding. Great as a family dessert with custard or, traditionally, for more special occasions such as 21st birthdays and weddings. Rum, sherry or your favourite liqueur can be substituted for the brandy. The fruit mixture can be made up to a month before required and stored in a cool, dark place – the refrigerator is ideal. You can use dark brown or brown sugar rather than black, if you prefer. Because it is quite soft, this cake is best cut cold, after refrigeration. To store cake: wrap cold cake tightly in plastic then in foil. Wrapped cake can be kept in a cool dark place for about three months; however, if the climate is humid, it is safest to keep the cake in a sealed plastic bag or tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.Cake can be frozen for up to 12 months.
