Easy last min Christmas cake
No fuss fruit cake that’s great at any time of year – and easy to spice up with festive flavours for a yummy, healthy Christmas cake option.
I learned this recipe from my good friend, and long standing hairdresser several years ago and it’s a winner in our house. It’s particularly good with a whisky on the side!
Ingredients
For small / medium cake
- 500 / 750g dried fruit – any combos of currants, sultanas, raisins, chopped apricots, cherries, dates, and even gogi berry
- 500ml / 750 ml strong tea – works well with black tea, earl grey, rooibos, or decaf
- 2 / 3 cups flour – regular or gluten free
- 2 / 3 tsp raising agent (baking powder, or baking powder baking soda combo)
For Christmas cake I tweak the recipe by :
- Substituting 1 /1 1/2 cups of flour with almond meal
- Adding 1-2 tsp mixed spice to soaked fruit
- Substituting a little tea with a dram or 2 of whisky or brandy to soaked fruit
- Adding fine, pared rind of 1/2 – 1 orange and 1/2 lemon to soaked fruit
Method
- Soak the fruit in cooled, strong tea for 1-2 days (adding spices, rind, +/- whisky/brandy)
- Stir occasionally to distribute the juice and fruit
- When ready to mix – preheat oven to 150 deg C
- Measure out the flours and raising agent into a large bowl
- Steadily add the fruit and enough liquid to create an easy-to-stir batter that coats the fruit but isn’t too runny
- Spoon the mixture into a greaseproof paper lined cake tin (loose bottom preferably) and smooth out the top
- Optional – place blanched almonds or raw cashews on top as decoration
- Optional – wrap folded newspaper around the outside of the tin to prevent burning during the slow bake
- Bake at 150 deg C for 1 1/2 – 2 hrs – until a skewer comes out clean
- Leave to col in the tin for 30 mins or more
- Turn out – leaving paper in in situ to begin with – covering with a clean tea towel to prevent drying
Store & serve
When cool, wrap in tin foil and store in an airtight tin or container in a cool spot
In Yorkshire this would traditionally be served with a slice of salty Wensleydale cheese rather than marzipan or icing! These days we love it with a special dram as the perfect night cap.
This cake will keep for at least a month, and also freezes well pre sliced for an occasional treat into the new year
