Posh spice cake

Posh spice cake

A fruit cake for those who like theirs light, spicy, fruity and moist, with a tart cranberry topping

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 - 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 45 mins

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Method

  1. Butter and base-line a deep 18cm round, loose-bottomed cake tin. Heat oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 3. For the cake, stir together the flours, baking powder and sugar. Slit open the cardamom pods and remove the tiny seeds (discard the pods). Grind the seeds to a powder using a pestle and mortar, then stir into the flour mixture with the orange zest and all the other spices.
  2. Rub the butter into the mix until it looks like coarse crumbs. Coarsely chop half the pecans and stir into the mix with the raisins, sultanas and cranberries. Beat the egg, pour in the milk and stir into the cake mixture. Spoon the mixture into the tin, level the top and scatter over the remaining pecan halves. Bake for 45 mins, then lower the heat to 150C/fan 130C/ gas 2 and bake for another 45 mins.
  3. While the cake bakes, prepare the topping. Pat the cranberries dry on kitchen paper, then toss with the sugar in a small bowl. After the second 45 mins of baking, spoon the sugared cranberries over the top of the cake. Return to the oven for another 15-20 mins, or until the cranberries are sticky and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  4. Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack. Decorate with ribbon. The cake is best kept overnight for the flavours to mellow before slicing. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks.

PER SLICE

345 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 47g, fat 17 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 0g, sugar 33g, salt 0.42 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Julie Gates

    22 November 2008

    Julie Gates rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this with my four year old one evening for a girls drinks party at Christmas and have frozen it! it is the first time I have frozen a cake as well as been so organised as to make it ahead! Will let you know what it comes out like on the night but it looks lovely and my daughter commented on how 'Christmassy' it looked!

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  • Binder photo Julie Gates

    13 December 2008

    Julie Gates commented on this recipe

    I made this ahead and had a go at freezing it (I think it suggests not to do this but if you leave off the fruit and nuts at the last stage and wrap in foil to freeze - it works perfectly). Once defrosted I just made up some pecans and cranberries and mixed them with a little brown sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on top- this works a treat. This cake tastes superb and all my guests were very impressed - I have just eaten the last piece as I write this and will definitely make again !

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  • Binder photo elaine

    15 December 2008

    elaine rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    The first time i cooked it it turned out great... but i cannot get it right again... it is turning out very dry.... HELP! as i love to make it right again.

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  • Binder photo Moose

    26 December 2008

    Moose commented on this recipe

    First time I made this, I accidently put all the nuts into the mix! Still tasted fab. So much so, I made it again, (correctly this time) the following week for Christmas. I only had a 20" tin so baked it in my fan oven for 30 mins at 150 then a further 30 mins at 130. Only thing that didn't work either time was the caramalisation of the cranberries. Might try putting them on top earlier another time. Used a blow torch which sort of worked!

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  • Binder photo sue stabb

    30 December 2008

    sue stabb rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this as an alternative to the traditional Christmas cake, it is fabulous everybody loved it and it looked so nice on the table good choice!

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  • Binder photo Jules

    11 February 2009

    Jules rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fantastic spice flavour and the cranberries add a lovely tartness. My cranberry topping didn't carmelised either but I plan to put them on earlier next time. A great alternative to Christmas cake that can made anytime!

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  • Binder photo Northyorkmoors

    02 December 2010

    Northyorkmoors commented on this recipe

    I made this cake a couple of days ago and it worked really really well. It even LOOKS like the picture in the recipe! I was a bit more generous with the spices than suggested but the result is a cake which has been highly praised (including one 'it's the best cake I've ever had')! Easy to make and the results are very satisfying.

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  • Binder photo madchef

    23 December 2010

    madchef rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely delicious! We aren't keen on traditional christmas cake this is much tastier with a fresher taste. Will make this again and again.

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  • Binder photo madchef

    23 December 2010

    madchef commented on this recipe

    Absolutely delicious! We aren't keen on traditional christmas cake this is much tastier with a fresher taste. Will make this again and again.

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  • Binder photo Catarina Trindade

    20 January 2011

    Catarina Trindade rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was, for me and my family, the ultimate Christmas cake. My father actually calls it the "St Nicholas Cake", buch better than the tradicional portuguese Christmas cake (Bolo Rei). As there are no cranberries in Portugal, I substituted for sour cherries, and it also worked really well.

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  • Binder photo alicehill45

    26 June 2012

    alicehill45 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This cake was great, my family are huge fruit cake fans and I was scared it was going to be quite dry but it wasn't! I replaced some of the raisins with figs which worked fine

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  • Binder photo Catarina Trindade

    17 December 2012

    Catarina Trindade commented on this recipe

    How do you think I could convert the baking times for turning this cake into muffins? I would like to offer it individually but I'm not sure how to do it because of the double baking and temperatures...

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 - 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 45 mins

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

  • 85g self-raising flour
  • 140g wholemeal plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 175g golden caster sugar
  • 4-5 cardamom pods
  • zest 1 small orange
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp mixed spice
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 140g butter , cut into pieces
  • 100g pecans
  • 85g raisins , preferably golden or green
  • 85g sultanas
  • 85g dried cranberries
  • 1 egg
  • 125ml milk
  • ribbon , to decorate

FOR THE TOPPING

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PER SLICE

345 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 47g, fat 17 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 0g, sugar 33g, salt 0.42 g

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