Once I discovered this fruitcake, there was no going back. Everything about it is perfect for someone who may not have had time to soak dried fruits, or is a collector of dried fruits (namely me), or who has a random selection of dried fruits as opposed to a mixed pack.
1. Make Your Tropical Fruitcake Mix or use your favorite
- 150g raisins
- 150g sultanas
- 150g currants
- 75g candied citron
- 75g candied citrus – orange and lemon
- 50g glace fruits
- 50g dried pineapple
- 50g dried pawpaw
2. Bake your Cake
Recipe, adapted from Simmer and Stir Christmas Cake, the Good Food Magazine
175g cold unsalted butter, chopped
200g dark brown (muscovado) sugar
750g tropical fruit mix
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
100ml (cherry) brandy or brandy plus 200ml more for feeding the cake later
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia, optional
1/2 teaspoon orange oil, optional
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
100g ground almonds
200g plain flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder
Method
Put the butter, sugar, fruit, zests, juice, 100ml of brandy in a large pan, vanilla powder, fiori di Sicilia and orange oil if using. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the butter has melted. Reduce the heat and bubble for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 F/ 150C. Line whatever pans you want – I used a 6-inch and a few mini bundts.
When mixture has cooled down add the eggs and ground almonds and mix well. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into the pan. Stir in gently, until there are no traces of flour left.
Use the back of a spoon, dipped in hot water to do the smoothening of the top of the cake in the next step
Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth it down evenly.
Bake for 45 minutes, then turn down the heat to 280 F/ 140C and cook for a further 1 hour, or longer until the cake is dark golden in appearance and firm to the touch. Cover the top of the cake with foil if it starts to darken too much.
To check the cake/s are done, insert a fine skewer in to the centre – if it comes out clean, it is cooked.
Spoon 100ml of brandy over the cakes until all soaked in. Leave the cakes to cool in the tin, overnight works.
The nest day, pour the rest of the brandy over the cakes.
Run a spatula around the sides, remove the cakes from the tin, peel off the lining paper, then wrap, first in baking parchment or greaseproof paper and then in foil.
For a Boozier Version:
1️⃣ Soak 750g of dried fruit in a large jar, with enough alcohol to cover it. I often use a mix of brandy and rum with a few drops of angostura bitters
2️⃣ Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of brown sugar with 2 teaspoons of mixed spice or a warming blend like apple pie mix of pumpkin spice. Stir well and store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 years
To use
3️⃣ Measure out 750g of fruit from the mix. The fruit will be plump and heavier so you won’t use all you did at the start
4️⃣ In a food processor, blitz 1/3 – 1/2 of the measured fruit until a thick fruit paste forms
Time to cook
5️⃣ Add the fruit paste to the mix
6️⃣ Add more booze than the 100ml called for in the no-soak soak method. I go for about a cup, a cup and a half (240ml to 360ml)
7️⃣ And about 25g more almond meal, and 25g more for all-purpose flour
Enjoy!
