Rich dark fruitcake
Community contributor, the lovely Anne Taylor, strikes again with her delicious recipe for rich dark fruitcake.
Makes: Three cakes (to make one divide ingredients by three)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups raisins
- 2 cups currants
- 2 cups dried apricot halves
- 2 cups dried figs, halved and stalk removed
- 2 cups prunes
- 2 cups dates
- 4 cups citrus peel
- ½ cup candied ginger (optional)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup treacle
- 2 cups brandy
- ½ cup orange liqueur
- 4 cups plain flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 500 grams butter
- 3 cups dark brown sugar – lightly packed
- 8 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl cut up apricots, figs, prunes, and dates (I use scissors). Add raisins, currants, mixed peel and whole nuts.
2. Add the candied ginger (if required) and the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves; toss well to mix. Add treacle, brandy, and orange liqueur and mix well. Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature.
3. The next day, preheat oven to 120 degrees. Line the tins with foil and baking paper. I use (1) - 3 Kg tin (25 cm - (9.2") - (1) – 2 Kg tin (23 cm ( 9") and (1) 1 Kg ( 17 cm (7") tin or any combination you require.
4. Combine the flour with baking powder, bicarb soda and salt and sift. Sprinkle three cups of flour over fruit mixture and stir to coat well.
5. Cream the butter, add the brown sugar and beat well. Add eggs mixture. I beat all eggs separately in a bowl and pour in portions at a time. Add the vanilla extract.
6. Add the remaining cup of flour and beat until batter is blended and smooth.
7. Pour batter over fruit; mix well until everything is coated with batter. I use two large aluminium bowls to combine the mixture. Then combine the mixture into one bowl and mix to make sure the mixture is even throughout.
8. Divide batter among cake tins.
9. Bake for four or five hours or when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Sprinkle cakes with brandy – about two capfuls. Leave in the oven until cool.
To read more of Anne’s recipes you can visit her blog here or her Facebook page here.