Rich Fruitcake

Try this Rich Fruitcake recipe, or contribute your own.

Rich Fruitcake
Rich Fruitcake

Try this Rich Fruitcake recipe, or contribute your own.

  • Preparing Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Served Person: 1
cakes apple butter orange raisin lemon vegetarian white meat free contains gluten red meat free shellfish free contains dairy contains eggs pescatarian
  • Carbohydrate 6079.84723862088 g
  • Cholesterol 4711.6 mg
  • Fat 402.32512761104 g
  • Fiber 307.367900687947 g
  • Protein 411.30566588984 g
  • Saturated Fat 157.43096108644 g
  • Serving Size 1 1 Serving (9487g)
  • Sodium 2314.045423696 mg
  • Sugar 5772.47933793293 g
  • Trans Fat 56.5146636006 g
  • Calories 27085 calories
desserts

Step-by-step

  • You’ll need a 3 inch tall 8 inch round cake tin or a 7 inch square tin, greased and lined with wax paper or parchment. Important! Tie a band of brown paper around the outside of the tin for extra protection. Since the cake cooks so long, we want to keep it from burning around the edges and being raw in the center.
  • Begin this cake the night before you want to bake it. Weigh out the dried fruit and mixed peel, place it in a mixing bowl, and mix in the brandy as evenly and thoroughly as possible. Cover the bowl with a clean tea cloth and leave the fruit aside to absorb the brandy for 12 hours.
  • Next day preheat the oven to gas mark 1, 275 degrees F (140 C). Measure out all of the remaining ingredients, ticking them off to make sure they are all there. The treacle will be easier to measure if you remove the lid and place the tin in a small pan of barely simmering water.
  • Sift the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl, lifting the sieve high to give the flour a good airing.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until it’s light, pale, and fluffy.
  • Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the creamed mixture a tablespoon full at a time; keep the whisk running until all the egg is incorporated. If you add the eggs slowly like this, the mixture won’t curdle. If it does, don’t worry, any cake full of such beautiful things can’t fail to taste good!
  • When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices, using gentle folding movements and not beating at all (this is to keep all the precious air in).
  • Fold in the fruit, peel, chopped nuts and treacle, and finally the grated lemon and orange zests.
  • Transfer the cake mixture into the prepared tin, spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon and, if you don’t intend to ice the cake, lightly drop the whole blanched almonds in circles or squares all over the surface.
  • Cover the top of the cake with a double square of greaseproof (wax) paper with a 50p (about a silver dollar) size hole in the center (this gives extra protection during the long slow cooking).
  • Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 hours. Sometimes it can take up to 1/2 - 3/4 hour longer than this but in any case don’t look until 4 hours have passed.
  • Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  • When it’s cold, feed it by sprinkling brandy on top (if you’d like to do this).
  • Wrap it in double greaseproof paper secured with an elastic band and either wrap again in foil or store in an airtight tin. You can now feed it at odd intervals until you need to ice or eat it.
  • To ice it, cover it with 1/2 to 1 pound of marzipan, then use either rolled fondant icing OR royal icing.

My Rich Fruitcake Adventure: A Classic Christmas Treat

This year, I decided to tackle a baking project that's been on my to-do list for ages – a classic rich fruitcake. The idea of spending hours in the kitchen creating something so traditional and comforting appealed to me immensely. The recipe I found promised a decadent, deeply flavorful cake that would be the centerpiece of my Christmas celebrations. The thought of the warm spices, the sweet richness of the fruit, and the satisfying weight of it all in my hands fueled my excitement. My kitchen became my sanctuary for the duration, filled with the delicious aroma of simmering spices and brandy-soaked fruit.

The process was long and involved, requiring several stages spread out over two days. Preparing the fruit the night before was key, allowing the brandy to infuse its magic into each dried raisin, cherry, and sliver of candied peel. This step alone was an experience! The anticipation of that moment, when I would finally combine the ingredients, kept my spirits high throughout the entire process. The following day, the task of meticulously creaming the butter and sugar, gently folding in the eggs, and carefully combining the dry ingredients was incredibly therapeutic. It was a slow and mindful process, each step taken deliberately and with care, knowing the result would be worth the effort.

Baking the cake itself was, without a doubt, the most nerve-wracking. The hours it spent in the oven felt like an eternity, a test of patience and faith in the recipe. Checking the cake was forbidden until a certain time had passed – a testament to the cake’s slow cooking process. Finally, the moment of truth arrived! The aroma that wafted from the oven was simply heavenly. It was a scent of pure comfort and nostalgia, one that transported me back to childhood Christmases. I carefully removed the cake, admiring its wonderfully dark, glistening top. It was beautiful, it was perfect.

The cooling process, followed by carefully wrapping the cake, was as much a part of the tradition as the baking itself. Wrapping it in parchment paper and then foil was like carefully preparing a precious artifact, a symbol of holiday cheer, ready to share with loved ones. This was a gift that kept on giving, not only in its deliciousness but also in the sense of satisfaction it brought.

Beyond the deliciousness, making this fruitcake was a journey. It was a quiet, meditative process that allowed me to reflect, slow down, and appreciate the simple act of creating something beautiful with my own hands. I’ve always considered baking to be a form of self-care, a relaxing and enjoyable activity that allows me to express my creativity while making something delicious to share with friends and family. This experience reinforced the joy and satisfaction that come from taking your time, engaging fully with the process, and relishing the outcome of your hard work and devotion.

This rich fruitcake wasn’t just a recipe; it was an experience. It was a testament to the power of traditional recipes to connect us with our history and culture, and a reminder that the most rewarding things in life often require patience, care, and a little bit of love. The result was not just a magnificent cake; it was a cherished memory I will carry with me long after the last slice is devoured.

Ingredients:

  • chopped
  • 1/2 ts salt
  • 4 lg eggs
  • 1/4 ts nutmeg
  • 6 oz golden raisins (sultanas)
  • 6 oz raisins
  • 1/2 ts mixed spice
  • 1 tb black treacle
  • 8 oz brown sugar soft
  • 2 oz peel, candied, mixed finely
  • 8 oz all purpose flour
  • 2 oz almonds chopped (the skins can be left on)
  • 3 tb brandy (I use apple brandy)
  • 2 oz glace cherries rinsed, dried, and finely chopped
  • zest of 1 lemon grated
  • 4 oz blanched almonds whole
  • 8 oz unsalted butter
  • zest of 1 orange grated
  • 1 lb currants
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