Old Fashioned Spiced Boiled fruit cake
This old fashioned alcohol free spiced boiled fruit cake is a moist, dark rich fruit cake recipe that is delicious for afternoon tea or served with custard for dessert.
Recipe PDF
Ingredients
- 500 grams butter lightly salted
- 320 grams sugar fine granulated, approximately 375 ml or 1 1/2 cups
- 500 grams dried fruit mix
- 60 ml mixed citrus peel
- 200 grams whole glace cherries divided (approximately 250 ml or 1 cup)
- 100 grams glace ginger approximately two thumb sized pieces, optional
- 100 grams glace figs approximately 3 medium figs, optional
- 100 grams walnuts approximately 310 ml or 1 1/4 cup
- 20 ml cinnamon powder approximately 4 teaspoons
- 20 ml ginger powder approximately 4 teaspoons
- 10 ml mixed spice powder approximately 2 teaspoons
- 500 ml water
- 10 ml baking soda / bicarbonate of soda approximately 2 level teaspoons
- 6 large eggs
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 500 grams cake or fine sponge flour approximately 1000 ml or 4 cups lightly packed
- 20 ml baking powder approximately 4 teaspoons
Instructions
One day before baking
- In a deep pot add the butter, sugar, spices, water, baking soda and dried fruits.
- Add 100 grams of the whole cherries and bring to the boil on a medium heat.
- Allow to boil for 5-6 minutes until the rolling foaming stops, and take care that it does not boil over as the mixture is very hot and will scald.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then cover and leave to rest for at least 12 hours or overnight.
Baking day
- When ready to proceed with baking, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius or 160 fan / 350 F / Gas mark 4.
- Add the eggs to the cooled fruit mixture, one at a time and mix thoroughly, then add the oil.
- Lastly sift in the flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly to combine.
- Decant into cake tins that have been lined with parchment paper. No greasing is required.
- Place in the lower shelf of the oven and bake for 5 mins before reducing the temperature to 170 degrees celcius or 150 fan / 325 F / Gas Mark 3, for another 65 - 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- The tray cake will bake for a shorter time so check it after 45 minutes.
Notes
- The prep time does not include the 12 hours resting time of the boiled fruit mixture.
- The original recipe used 500 grams self raising flour, but I substituted it with 500 grams cake flour or fine sponge flour, plus 20 ml baking powder. If you wish, you can use the self raising flour instead, but the texture may be different.
- If using unsalted butter add up to 1/2 teaspoon salt to the batter.
- I use Mixed Spice powder, and if that is not available, you may substitute with a similar quantity of pumpkin pie spice powder.
- I have used different size pans when making these cakes. The batter is enough for two 20 cm round cakes or one 20 cm round cake and a rectangular sheet cake (23 x 30.5 x 3.5 cm approximately 9" x 12 1/4" x 1 1/4")
Nutrition
Serving: 60gCalories: 472kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 5gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 305mgPotassium: 200mgFiber: 2gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 585IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 1mg
Disclaimer: Nutritional information for the recipe is an approximation and varies according to the ingredients and products used.
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