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Recipe by Jane Hornby

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1. Video tutorial: Decorating a shimmering forest cake

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.

PER SERVING (un-iced)

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

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Results 21-28

• Gbobs

  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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• lucysmum

  23 January 2009

  lucysmum rated and commented on this recipe

  

  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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• trish17

  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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• Jackie

  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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• UKgal

  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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• wifeywarner

  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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• rhona

  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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• rhona

  17 November 2009

  rhona rated and commented on this recipe

  

  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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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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Difficulty and servings

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 20 mins

Cook 3 hrs min

Plus overnight soaking

Vegetarian

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)

PER SERVING (un-iced)

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

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