Hot toddy fruitcake

Hot toddy fruitcake

This fabulous Christmas cake can be made and decorated in four very different ways. Just choose your favourite

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs

Plus overnight soaking
Vegetarian Freezable

Vegetarian

Method

  1. Mix the hot tea, whisky and marmalade in a large bowl until the marmalade melts. Stir in all of the dried fruit, peel and cherries, then cover and leave to soak overnight.
  2. Next day, heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 and grease and double-line a 20cm round, deep cake tin with non-stick baking paper. Using electric beaters, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition, then fold in the flour and spices, followed by the lemon zest and soaked fruit. Add any liquid that hasn't been absorbed by the fruit, too. Spoon into the prepared tin, level the top, then bake for 1½ hrs. Turn the oven down to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1 and bake for another 1½ hrs or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack in the tin.
  3. While the cake is still warm, use the skewer to pepper the cake with holes, poking it all the way down. Dissolve the sugar in the tea, add the whisky or orange juice, then spoon over the surface. If you're making the cake ahead of time, feed it with a fresh swig of hot toddy every week, but take care not to make the cake soggy. Can be kept for a month well-wrapped in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. If short on time, the cake can be made the same day that you decorate it.
Try

Soaking

Soaking in whisky, tea and marmalade makes for the juiciest fruit and a rich, but not overpowering, cake. If you use orange juice instead of whisky, the result will still be good.

PER SERVING (un-iced)

531 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 88g, fat 18 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 2g, sugar 74g, salt 0.51 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2006.

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • 02 November 2007

    BakingQueen commented on this recipe

    I always use sherry instead of whisky in my christmas cakes..creates a great texture.

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  • 08 November 2007

    wee john rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    The only thing I changed was to reduce the mixed fruit from 750 to 500.Super cake.everyone thought so

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  • 12 November 2007

    megsnz commented on this recipe

    Had to make two of these last year - the first one was eaten went down a treat just before Christmas ! Added a mixture of sherry/ brandy as well as whisky.

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  • 17 November 2007

    My Binder rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I just absolutely love this recipe. It always turns out perfectly and stays moist for ages. Definately my favourite fruit cake.

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  • 22 November 2007

    persy commented on this recipe

    This is a gorgeous cake. I took the recipe with me to Australia at Christmas '06 and made it there for my family and my daughter-in-law's family. I then used it to make my son's and his now wife's wedding cake, part of which was transported back to Poland by her Auntie.

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  • 29 November 2007

    Shelly rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this cake twice last Xmas. The first time was for the office and it went down so well I used the recipe again for my Xmas cake at home. Will be using it agin this year as it was really moist and not at all dry like you would normally expect from fruit cake.

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  • 16 December 2007

    Carol rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this cake a few days ago and now have to make another one! My family went wild for it......it's so moist and so yummy! Hope that I can keep this next one until Xmas day........yeah right! The only thing I added was a little more mixed spice and some freshly grated nutmeg......might have been a bit more generous with the whisky too....hic! Merry Xmas everyone!

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  • 01 January 2008

    Allie commented on this recipe

    I've never had such favourable comments after making a fruit cake - everyone raved about it! I have made it several times now and have found that brandy is even nicer than whisky in it! Had to make it for my mate's Grandad and it went down a treat with him too!

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  • 08 January 2008

    jenny commented on this recipe

    What did I do wrong? I followed the recipe to the letter, but it turned out really soggy - my husband says it will be nice with custard ugh! If I did make it again, I think I would just leave out the tea and use whisky on its own - It is moist but too moist, and yet it looked cooked! Strange.

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  • 10 January 2008

    angel rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    i have made this cake twice now and it has gone down really well each time

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  • 23 February 2008

    annieb commented on this recipe

    I have volunteered to make a christening cake for my brother's little boy and like the look of this recipe - I hate anything glace or peel, can I substitute these for things like dried cranberries and/or crystallised pineapple etc?

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  • 25 February 2008

    gingergirl commented on this recipe

    I think that's a great idea-AnnieB-a modern twist. Hope it works! Keep us posted! gingergirl.

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  • 28 March 2008

    ikatie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I used dried cranberries and crystallised papya and pineapple. It worked like a dream. Used Sherry also and only fed the cake whilst it was warm. Wrapped it up very tightly and decorated and ate the following weekend. Perfectly moist!

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  • 04 April 2008

    Emma commented on this recipe

    My first attempt at this and it was delicious! I used sherry instead of whisky. Nice and moist:D Next time im going to reduce the fruit and try whisky instead of sherry.

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  • 23 May 2008

    Emma rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    easy and everyone thought it was tasty!

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  • 31 August 2008

    helen commented on this recipe

    i made this last year and it was fantastic!!! i was just wondering is this sutible for freezing? making a few christmas cakes this year and love this recipe. not sure if they will be just as good after being frozen though, any ideas

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  • 11 September 2008

    Malumphey commented on this recipe

    Just to let you know Helen, I froze the cake for about 3 months and it was even better.

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  • 01 November 2008

    ruthsteapotdesigns commented on this recipe

    Hi there I would love to try this recipe but want to make it now ready for Christmas.. Is it possible to keep feeding it... will it last until Christmas as it says only one month in the book... Has anyone tried leaving it for longer... Normally Christmas cakes tend to last for months.. Would appreciate some help!!! Ruth

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  • 19 November 2008

    mrs_magick commented on this recipe

    A complete novice in the baking department I've been keen to try a fruit cake to use for special occasions. This was the perfect first cake. Simple and yet scrumptious! I used less fruit as mentioned by others who'd commented, sticking with 500g of mixed fruit instead of the 750g. It was baked and iced within 8 hours and went down a treat! I've now got the baking bug thanks to this fabulous recipe.

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  • 11 December 2008

    sara rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    just tried my christmas 2008 cake after spending the past month feeding it and it was fantastic! i'm glad i used this recipe, a nice twist on a classic

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs

Plus overnight soaking
Vegetarian Freezable

Vegetarian

A holiday favourite

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

  • 200ml hot, strong black tea (use any type)
  • 3 tbsp whisky
  • 3 tbsp good-quality orange marmalade , thin or medium shred
  • 700g mixed dried fruits
  • 100g mixed peel
  • 100g glacé cherries (natural colour)
  • 225g butter
  • 225g golden caster sugar
  • 4 eggs , beaten
  • 225g plain flour
  • 1 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • finely grated zest 1 lemon

TO FEED THE CAKE

  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 50ml hot black tea
  • 1 tbsp whisky (or use orange juice if you prefer)
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PER SERVING (un-iced)

531 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 88g, fat 18 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 2g, sugar 74g, salt 0.51 g

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