Monday, November 26, 2012

Fruit Cake

Christmas is round the corner. Those celebrating Christmas would have started soaking the dried fruits in brandy, rum or whisky for a week or two before baking the traditional Fruit Cake!

I used to do that for many Christmases to just pour the liquor over the fruits and let them soak for two weeks. It would taste heavenly, fragrant and moist after the cake is baked.
This year, I have decided to boil the fruits to soften them. Once cooled, liquor would be added to them to soak for a couple of days only. I find it easier to slice the cake without it breaking so easily because the fruits remain soft even after baking. Previously I had to chill the cake before slicing.


Ingredients:

200ml water
700g mixed fruits (raisins, currants, orange peel, cherries etc)
100ml brandy/rum/whiskey (optional)


200g condensed milk
170g butter

230g plain flour, sifted with spices and b. soda
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder

90g walnuts, chopped (optional)

2 eggs


1. Prepare the day before baking -  Boil fruit and water together. Set aside to cool.  Add liqour once cooled and cover.

2. Melt  butter and mix in condensed milk. Add the mixture to the soaked fruits and mix well.

3. Lightly beat the eggs and mix into the fruits.

4. Lastly add flour to the fruits and mix well.

5. Bake in a greased and lined 18-cm round tin in preheated oven at 150deg C for 1 hour or till skewer inserted comes out clean.

6. Let the cake cool in the tin. Remove and place on a piece of foil big enough to wrap. Use a satay stick to poke a few holes in the cake and with a teaspoon pour the liqour into the tiny holes. This way the liqour gets to seep into the cake.  Wrap up cake with foil and keep in an air-tight container for a day or two. Remove foil and slice to serve.


 All in - fruits, liquor, butter and condensed milk
 


Soft and moist and not so sweet!

8 comments:

  1. A must-bake during the holiday season! Looks beautiful!

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  2. Good idea to boil the fruits. I normally cut up the dried fruits before soaking them in liquour. So far have not tried using whiskey. Must try.

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  3. Sadly, there is always too much to bake and I never get a chance to bake a traditional fruit cake.

    Seeing your delicious cake, I'm thinking hard to see if I can squeeze any time out to bake a fruit cake...

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  4. Will this method prolong the lifeshelf of this cake, as I have never tried this method before.

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  5. Hi Angie,
    Thanks! Fruit cake aka Christmas cake, must have!


    Hi Cheah,
    I like my fruit cake with lots of liquor. Whiskey is just as good!


    Hi Valentines,
    Thanks for dropping by!


    Hi Zoe,
    Doesn't take long to bake this cake. Try it!


    Hi Anonymous,
    In case you are expecting a reply from me, I would appreciate a name to address rather than anonymous!

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  6. That's a clever idea. I'll definitely try your method. Thanks for sharing :)

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  7. Interesting to note that condensed milk is used here instead of sugar...I have baked a fruitcake by boiling the fruits first and it was very good...will try this recipe too!

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  8. Thanks for the post dear. whenever I want to celebrate any event with my husband, I serve delicious cakes with awesome arrangement of fresh flowers & candles.

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