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.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 21-40

  • 16 January 2009

    Gbobs commented on this recipe

    I have never made this type of cake before but it was so easy to make and absolutely delicious. The family couldnt believe it wasnt shop bought!!! IT was so moist and absolutely delicious I am definitely going to make it again VERY soon!

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  • 23 January 2009

    lucysmum rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    A delicious moist cake that both my husband and I enjoyed.I liked the 700g of fruit but as were not keen on mixed peel I doubled the glace cherries.

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  • 10 May 2009

    trish17 commented on this recipe

    Have just made this cake exactly as the recipe stated - I have to admit I'm not the greatest fruit cake lover but my partner really likes them - he reckons this cake is the best he's ever tasted! The taste is definitely scrummy with the whiskey, the recipe doesn't include any nuts but I'll add some next time. The main advantage with this recipe is that the cake is wonderfully moist - I made a cake at Christmas using a Delia Smith recipe which was very dry - this one will definitely be my choice from now on, not sure how long it would last in an airtight container - anyone have any ideas?

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  • 03 June 2009

    Jackie commented on this recipe

    Ia there a simple formula for increasing/decreasing the quantities for different cake tin sizes? Obviously cooking is a science and I would imagine cake tin size and cooking time goes by overall weight ... but that doesn't help me in knowing how to work it out. Anyone know? I'd really appreciate any advice.

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  • 06 September 2009

    UKgal commented on this recipe

    Jackie, Somewhere on this link they have explained how to work it out and check it. Hope it helps you! http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=842649

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  • 18 October 2009

    wifeywarner commented on this recipe

    I used a Good Housekeeping recipe for years .... until I tasted my friends Xmas cake a copuple of years ago & had to switch to this one! Made it last year and the cake didn't dissapoint. I used to use brandy in my Xmas cake, but actually found the tea and whiskey combo with maramlade really scrummy .... and I hate tea and whiskey normally! Another friend who bakes cakes for farmers markets, is now going to to use this recipe this year !

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  • 14 November 2009

    rhona commented on this recipe

    would this work if i used a 20cm square tin? Or should i stick to the round one?

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  • 17 November 2009

    rhona rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Well i decided it was worth buying a new round 20cm deep tin for, and not trying to make it square! It was such a success!!!! It was easy to make and the outcome was fantastic, needless to say i will now need to make another one for christmas day, but its worth it! The house smelled so christmasy..... great cake!

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  • 17 December 2009

    stefania commented on this recipe

    @ Jenny is it possible you fed the cake while the tea was still rather warm or hot? perhaps that's why it became soggy.

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  • 31 December 2009

    Karen S rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • 05 January 2010

    gizmo rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo pat

    09 January 2010

    pat rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • 11 May 2010

    Beamy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    If I could rate this double, then I would!!! It is the most amazing cake I've ever had (I am a big fruit cake fan, it has to be said). I've made it lots of times, with numerous adaptations, but following the basic pricipal (I add ground and chopped blanched almonds, and baking powder for a start). It has been used by me for gifts, Christenings and Christmas, and is very adaptable (I've made it in mini tins, loaf tins and massive roasting tins!). Particularly good with homemade marzipan and ready roll icing.

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  • 31 May 2010

    Ellie x commented on this recipe

    I'm 17yrs old, and this was the first fruit cake I ever made, was a complete hit, delicious, made it about 5 times again since christmas! If you use a syringe its way easier in terms of feeding the cake.

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  • 28 July 2010

    Emma commented on this recipe

    really moist and lovely. I used brandy instead of whiskey. It can come across more of a pudding than a cake though.

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  • 07 September 2010

    mammymurray commented on this recipe

    Instead of using lemon zest I put some fresh strips oforange peel to soak overnight with the fruit mixture. Give a lovely flavour but discard them before adding mix to cake

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  • 12 October 2010

    Betty J. commented on this recipe

    I intend making this cake for Christmas. As it is only October is it too early?

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  • 22 October 2010

    La Cheshire Chat commented on this recipe

    Betty J. - As far as I'm concerned, it's never too early to make a fruitcake! You CAN freeze it (which will actually improve the texture, in my opinion,) but, if you keep it tightly wrapped in an airtight tin at a cool temperature, it will be fine. Especially as you'll have more time to 'feed' it. On the other hand, you could always make one now, to try, and another later for Christmas!

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  • 02 November 2010

    Yeti commented on this recipe

    Where are the recipes for the four different ways of decorating? I can only find the Jewelled fruit nut and seed cake one.

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  • 03 November 2010

    MariaMalta rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Have been making this cake every year at Christmas time...and it always turns out perfect. Appreciated by everybody visiting. Gave the recipe to mum who is also baking this cake now...truly deserves to be recommended...

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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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