Delicious all year round, or especially at Christmas time, find out our best recipe for rich, indulgent fruit cake prepared using our stand mixer.
Main ingredients : flour, sugar, almonds, eggs, butter, dried fruit, mixed spice.
INGREDIENTS
- 200g well softened butter (plus extra for greasing)
- 725g luxury mixed dried fruit
- Juice and zest of 1 orange
- 200g plain flour
- 50g ground almonds
- 1tsp ground mixed spice
- 150g dark brown muscovado sugar
- 4 medium eggs (beaten)
- 1/2 tsp granulated (or golden granulated) sugar
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C on the conventional setting. Grease a deep 20cm loose-based cake tin with butter and line the base and sides of the tin with a double layer of baking parchment.
2. Place the dried fruit in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the orange juice and zest. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
3. To make the cake, mix the flour, ground almonds and mixed spice in a large mixing bowl. Beat the softened butter and sugar in a separate mixing bowl with an electric whisk or wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. This will take about 10 minutes.
4. Gradually beat the eggs into the butter and sugar, a little at a time,whisking well between each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle,add one tablespoon of the flour and continue whisking as before.
5. Once all the eggs are incorporated, use a large metal spoon to fold in the flour and spices, ensuring the mixture is well combined. Stir in the soaked fruit.
6. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin.
7. Bake in the middle of the oven for 1 ½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. If the cake begins to over-brown before it is ready, cover the surface loosely witha piece of folded foil.
8. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack. Sprinkle with a little sugar just before serving.
