This easy Fruit Cake recipe came from cake friend mzsweet. She tells us the original recipe came from Dawn at Champagne Cakes, but goes on to describe the method she’s developed to get the cake she wants out of it.

Easy Fruit Cake

The cake has a lovely flavour, keeps well and has converted non fruit cake eaters.

Est Prep Time:
Est Cooking Time: 4.5 hours depending on size
Oven Temp: 150C for 1/2 hour then down to 100C
Serves: 1 & 1/2 x the recipe makes 2 7inch round cakes or double the recipe for 1 10 inch square or 12 inch round fcake.

Ingredients:
250g Butter/Margarine
250g dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. bicarb soda
1/2 tsp. each of vanilla, almond and lemon essence
1/2 tsp. each of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ground cloves (i use one tablespoon of mixed spice, easier to measure one spice)
1/4 cup marmalade
375g plain flour
1 kg mixed fruit
approx 1/2 cup Sherry or Brandy
I use McWilliams Cream Sherry or sweet sherry I use a bit over a third of a cup into the mix as I soak the fruit in a generous amount of sherry

Instructions:

Mix fruit and spices, essences, bicarb soda and sugar in a basin.

Melt butter and milk on stove (or in microwave while measuring out all the other ingredients) and pour over fruit mixture, mix well and add eggs one at a time, beating well.

Add marmalade.
Add sifted flour.
Add sherry or brandy.

Place mixture in a tin lined with baking paper, tie a strip of folded newspaper or brown paper around the outside edge of the tin as this helps to prevent the edges cooking too much (or try the homemade bake even strips). Then place some folded paper on the top and bake in a slow oven (approx 130 – 135c) for 4 – 4 1/2 hours.

Test with a skewer, if skewer comes out clean, cake is cooked, cool in tin.

Additional Info/Comments by mzsweet:

Above is the recipe as it was given to me. I like to high bake my cakes so I pile this recipe into an eight inch tin. If I do one and a half this recipe I get two nice seven inch Christmas Cakes.

I soak my mixed fruit for about three days to a week in plenty of sherry, I measure it soaked.

I line the cake tin with two layers of baking paper and wrap 3-4 layers of paper around the outside of the tin.

I cover the cake with foil for the whole of the baking time, sometimes I take it off for the last ten minutes but only if I think of it.

Before you put it in the oven pat the top of the cake with some water on your hand, this gives a very moist surface and the cake doesn’t seem to crack as much

I bake it at 150 celcius for half an hour and then I turn the oven right down to 100. I will give the tin a turn every hour and a half. If I am cooking two cakes at once I will swap their positions in the oven as well.

With two cakes in the oven in eight inch tins cooked at the above temperature, this recipe takes about 4.5 hours in total to cook. A little less if you have one cake in the oven. I take it out of the oven and test it with a steak knife. If I see wet crumbs on the knife to me that’s done! I paint a little sherry on the top of the cake and then I place a round glad bake on the top of the cake and wrap it in a big old sheet and leave it to cool in the tin, wrapped in the sheet, top of the cake on the bottom. When it’s cool I wrap it well in cling wrap then foil, and throw it in the cupboard till I need it.

I have based the cooking times from experimenting with my oven and this recipe. It may take you a couple of goes to adjust the cooking times and temperature to suit your oven. When I first tried this cake I cooked it at 130 in my oven and it was dry on the outside. When I changed the cooking method to my mum’s method the whole cake changed to the beautiful moist cake it should be. I double the mix for a ten inch square cake and it takes about 5 1/2 to six hours and it’s moist from corner to centre.

Photos courtesy of Sharon

Most of this info comes from our cake friend Pam.

“I have never put a fruitcake in the fridge. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done it just means that I have never done it.

If space is your ONLY problem – take a good look at how you can re-arrange your space for the time you need. There is usually a way around any space issue. (Secret: I’ve been known to hide my ironing basket in the boot of my car because I had no where to “hide” it when I had guests coming over)”

FRUITCAKE TIPS:-
For most recipes, a full month of ripening is a necessity. You can always store it longer than a recipe requires, but don’t shorten the aging time.

Ideally, take several days to make your cake or cakes. Chop the nuts and fruits, cover with liquor and/or fruit juice, and let the mixture stand, covered, for two or three days. Then make the batter and bake your cakes.

Always bake fruitcakes slowly, at a low temperature–(135 to 165 degrees C). The cakes are dense with fruit that will release liquid during baking. Prepare your pans by greasing and flouring them or by lining them with BAKE paper. When the cake batter is ready, spoon it into the prepared pans, and tap the pans on the work surface to pop any air bubbles.

Place cake pans on center oven rack; pans should not be touching each other. You may wish to cover fruitcakes with aluminum foil for the last half hour of baking.

With such a long baking time and with so many varieties–light and dark–of fruitcake, color alone won’t indicate when the cake is done. Test for doneness by poking a skewer or a toothpick near the center of the cake. It should come out clean.

Most problems with cakes going “off” is because they have not been cooked adequately

Cool cakes thoroughly after baking. Use a toothpick or skewer to poke holes in the cake, and sprinkle with brandy or rum if desired. Wrap in liquor-dampened cheesecloth, and store in airtight containers in a cool, dark place. The fridge is fine, but don’t transfer cakes to the freezer until the flavors have ripened and mellowed.
Check the cakes once a week. Brush the cakes with more liquor, if necessary, and then rewrap them in the damp cloth.

When wrapped in cloth and foil, a fruitcake may be kept for months or even years. Liquor-based cakes may be stored several months in a cool place. Cakes made without liquor may be kept in the refrigerator for short-term storage or freezer for longer storage.

Fruitcakes freeze very well; however, they must be aged for at least few weeks before freezing, as they do not mellow and ripen while they are frozen.

When ready to serve, cut the cake into thin slices using a sawing motion. To avoid crumbling, use a serrated knife or other sharp knife.

Things that you might need to consider:
ALL advice on things is given only with the knowledge of the information giver – things change over the years and new things are constantly being created and new (sometimes better, easier, more-efficient) ways are found. People may tell you to wrap in paper etc. BUT that advice might have been passed on through the years BEFORE airtight containers were around – airtight containers prevent any odour absorption from other items in your frigde – greasing and flouring tins might have been fine before Bakepaper – and god forbid! what did we do before clingwrap! Anyway, all I am saying is to listen to everything that people have to tell you – try it for yourself – you will find what works for you. Consider the guidelines and you should not have any disasters.

If you are looking for a quick fruitcake recipe (don’t have a lot of time for aging) try this one from our cake friend mzsweet “Easy Fruit Cake” also tried and tested by myself, with rave reviews from customers.