As you like it fruit cake
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Over night macerating fruit,, or 5 mins in microwave
- Easy
- Serves 10
Ingredients
- I USE CUPS AS I FIND IT SO MUCH EASIER
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup currants
- 1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sun dried blueberries
- 1/2 cup sun dried cherries
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
- [so the as u like part here is that you need 4 cups total of dried fruit so play with flavours!]
- Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
- Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
- 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped-if not fussed on ginger substitute with glace cherries etc
1 cup gold rum [coconut] quantro [if more cranberries used] brandy, southern comfort etc
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)
- 1 cup unsweetened apple juice /orange juice/ mixed juice again to your liking.
- 4 whole cloves, ground
- 6 allspice berries, ground
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup walnut or pecans, broken
spirit used for "feeding"
- spirit used for "feeding"
Method
- STEP 1Soak all fruit over night in spirit of your choice-cut fruit to small pieces first. If you dont have this time or forgot, simply place fruit/spirit in bowl, cover and microwave for 5 mins-leave to cool a bit to so the fruit can soak up all that lovely booze!
- STEP 2The place in non reactive pan with butter, sugar, fruit juice and spices. Bring to boil, turn down heat and simmer gently for 5-10 mins. Take off heat and allow to cool for at least 15 mins before next step.
- STEP 3Heat stove to 325degrees.
- STEP 4Combine dry ingregients, nuts, add cooled fruit mix and the 2 eggs-work quickly here and spoon into lined 10" loaf pan, or if you wish you could make muffin/mini muffins-of course cooking time would differ from the loaf.
- STEP 5Bake for 1 hr or until toothpick stuck into middle comes out clean-if not keep in oven and check after 10 until toothpick comes out clean.
- STEP 6Cool in pan before turning out. When completely cool turn over and gently prick base with fork, then use approx 1-2 dessert spoon of choosen spirit to "feed" the cake. Wrap in grease proof paper and then foil. Feeding can occur weekly until use-depends on how much you like a boozy cake. The flavours combine wonderfully over at least 2 wks. The cake also freezes well cut into slices so you always have something at hand!
