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.
Nothing says Christmas like a dense, plump fruit cake loaded with nuts, fruits, spices and cheeky splash of sherry. Drizzle with homemade custard to really take it to the next level.
1.Combine fruit, honey and brandy in large bowl, cover, stand overnight.
2.Preheat 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.
3.Beat 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).
4.Add butter mixture to fruit mixture with flour, mix thoroughly with one hand.
5.Drop dollops of mixture into corners of pan to hold baking paper in position, spread remaining mixture into pan.
6.Drop 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.
7.Bake 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.)
8.Remove cake from oven, brush with extra brandy. Cover pan tightly with foil, cool cake in pan.
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.
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