Description
Boiled fruit cake is a traditional bake full of dried fruit and spices. Moist and flavorful, it’s a dependable recipe passed down through generations.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Dried Fruits:
- 375 grams (13.2 ounces) mixed dried fruit
Main Baking Ingredients:
- 2 cups (240 grams) self-raising flour
- 200 grams (7 ounces) butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
Liquid and Sweetening Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) water
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, dried fruits, butter, mixed spices, and bicarbonate of soda, simmering the mixture for precisely 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Set aside and let the mixture cool until lukewarm, about 15–20 minutes.
- Gently incorporate eggs into the cooled fruit mixture, stirring until well blended.
- Gradually fold in flour, mixing until ingredients are just combined and no dry pockets remain.
- Grease a cake tin well, then spoon in the batter and spread it out evenly.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C and position the rack in the middle position.
- Bake the cake for 60-70 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through cooking to ensure uniform browning.
- Test cake doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center; it should emerge clean with minimal crumbs.
- Allow the cake to rest in the tin for 10 minutes to stabilize its structure.
- Turn it out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Achieve a moist texture by ensuring the initial simmering process completely softens the fruits and allows them to absorb liquid.
- Prevent overmixing the batter when adding eggs and flour to maintain a tender crumb and avoid tough cake structure.
- Customize the cake by substituting dried fruits like raisins, currants, or mixed peel based on personal preference or pantry availability.
- Consider using gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version without compromising the cake’s traditional rich and dense characteristics.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg