My Favourite Cakes
Fruitcakes are one of those foods you either hate or love with a passion. Fortunately for me, I adore them. My kids also adore them, with a passion. I always plan to make my fruit cakes, well in advance.
First, I soak the fruits in brandy, sherry or port 2 weeks in advance. That allows them time to soak up the alcohol, plump up and soften. I also grease and line the cake pan (tin) with parchment, in advance. I hate lining cakes pans, so it’s always better to do it when I’m less stressed. Once the cake has baked and cooled I place it in an airtight container and drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of fortified wine for about 3-4 days, then the feasting begins.
It’s always better to eat a small slice at a time, say as a mid-day snack or an afternoon tea accompaniment or as an after dinner treat, more like eating one or two pieces of dark chocolate. I hope you love this recipe the way we do. Have a wonderful weekend.
- Ingredients
- 325g (11.5oz) all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 225g (8oz) butter or margarine (I used butter)
- 225g (8oz) fine sugar
- Zest and juice from 1 medium orange (Navel orange will yield 7-8 tablespoons juice)
- 4 medium or large eggs
- 75g ground almonds
- 150g (8oz) sultanas (sultana raisins) original recipe called for 225g
- 150g (8oz) currants (zante currants) original recipe called for 225g
- 150g raisins (Thompson raisins) (original recipe called for 175g)
- 6 tablespoons (1/3 cup) sherry (or port or other fortified wine)
- 100g (3oz) whole, skinned almonds, soaked in 1 tablespoon milk
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or sherry, extra
Please always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start baking.
Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) 10 minutes before baking. Grease and double line the base and sides of a 9 x 3 inch (23 x 7.5cm) round tin with parchment (greaseproof paper). Mix the dried fruits with 6 tablespoons sherry and set aside. (you can soak the dried fruit the night before, or many days in advance)
Sift the flour and baking powder
Cream the fat, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
Fold in half the flour and half the ground almonds,
then fold in the remaining flour, almonds and orange juice.
The mixture looks like this
Fold in the soaked fruits.
If the mixture feels too thick add 2-3 tablespoons sherry or milk to give a soft dropping consistency (I added 2 more tablespoons of milk).
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Smooth the surface, making a slight hollow in the centre.
Arrange the almonds on top of the cake and bake in the centre of the oven for 1½-2 hours or until cooked. If the top browns too quickly, cover with a round parchment or foil. (I baked the cake at 320°F (160°C) for 1 hour 35 minutes and It didn’t brown too quickly)
Allow the cake to cool in the tin (pan) before transferring on to cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
The cake tasted fantastic. It was baked one week ago, but we are still eating a slice a day. There is only ¼ left. How depressing…
Dundee Cake
Original Recipe: Woman’s Own Cakes and Bakes by Gina Steer
Preparation time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 1½-2 hours; Makes: 16-20 slices
Ingredients
- 325g (11.5oz) all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 225g (8oz) butter or margarine (I used butter)
- 225g (8oz) fine sugar
- Zest and juice from 1 medium orange (Navel oranges will yield 7-8 tablespoons of juice)
- 4 medium or large eggs
- 75g ground almonds
- 150g (8oz) sultanas (sultana raisins) original recipe called for 225g
- 150g (8oz) currants (zante currants) original recipe called for 225g
- 150g raisins (Thompson raisins) (original recipe called for 175g)
- 6 tablespoons (1/3 cup) sherry (or port or other fortified wine)
- 100g (3oz) whole, skinned almonds, soaked in 1 tablespoon milk
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or sherry, extra
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) 10 minutes before baking. Grease and double line the base and sides of a 9 x 3 inch (23 x 7.5cm) round tin with parchment (greaseproof paper). Mix the dried fruits with 6 tablespoons sherry and set aside. (you can soak the fruits the night before or many days in advance).
- Sift the flour and baking powder. Cream the fat, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
- Fold in half the flour and half the ground almonds, then fold in the remaining flour, almonds and orange juice.
- Fold in the soaked fruits. If the mixture feels too thick add 3-5 tablespoons sherry or milk to give a soft dropping consistency (I added 3 tablespoons milk).
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Smooth the surface, making a slight hollow in the centre. Arrange the almonds on top of the cake and bake in the centre of the oven for 1½-2 hours or until cooked. If the top browns too quickly, cover with a round parchment or foil. Allow the cake to cool in the tin (pan) before transferring on to cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
Points to Note
- Please note this cake tastes better 3 days later. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons fortified wine over the cake during the first three days.
- I baked the cake at 320°F (160°C) for 1 hour 35 minutes.
myfavouritepastime.com
My Favourite Pastime 
This cake looks great!
Thank you, Sabrina.
Liz
We all love fruit cake here, the darker the better, and lovely to see your Dundee cake after you saw mine – though I haven’t posted my recipe yet!
I’m glad there are other who enjoy fruit cakes like me. Wonderful. Have a lovely weekend!
liz
I love Dundee cake! This has totally put me in the mood to make some! Thanks
Me too. I am planning to make 2 Dundees today. This one got finished!
Liz
Liz! I love you! 😍😍😍. I adore all forms of fruit cake and this is one of my favourites. I am lusting after a piece of this and a cup of tea right now.
Love you too, gal! I just saw the gluten free version on your blog. I am curious, does it taste nice? Mine got finished, but today, I shall be baking two brand new Dundee cakes for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend! Enjoy the week!
Liz
It is very yummy Liz 😋. We’ve had two pieces each just today so it may not last till the weekend!
Oh great. I am preparing my tins for the two Dundee cakes. Have a lovely day!
liz
I will tomorrow Liz as its night time now 😄
Sleep tight…
This cake looks like our “panettone” and I find it wonderful.
Thank you, Silva. I am planning to make ‘Panettone’ soon. Unfortunately I’ve procrastinated for about 1 year. Thanks for reminding me. Have a wonderful weekend. Ours here is rainy and cold….9 degC right now. How awful, but at least the grass is getting green.
Liz
There are 3 traditional cakes we eat at Christmas time here in Northern Italy: Panettone, Pandoro and Nadalin. Old recipes and family tastes.
Please give me the recipes for Pandora and Nadalin. I’ve never heard of those two. I have to google and see what they look like!
Liz
This is the link of my recipe of Natalin http://silvarigobello.com/2013/11/30/il-nadalin-un-dolce-medievale/
I hope you will not have problems in translation. Anyway ask me, please. While I prefer to buy Pandoro. Thr real cake of Verona at home does not result so soft and well yasted as it should be.
Ciao Liz, a presto.
I’ve just translated the link on google translate. I don’t have a star tin but I want to try it anyway. I’ve never made this kind of cake with yeast. Very interesting indeed. Thank you for sharing! Let me add the English version link here for ease of reference. Enjoy the rest of the week!
Liz
http://silvarigobello.com/2013/11/30/il-nadalin-un-dolce-medievale/
Love your array of almonds, so pretty! -Kat
Thank you. They are truly pretty and delicious too!
Liz
You must have read my mind. I was just thinking about Dundee cakes today, and how I should make one, but you beat me to it. Yours looks fabulous.
Thanks. I am still dazzled with the gravy you made from puffball mushroom. You always amaze me!
liz
Yum! Our family loves fruit cake- we could eat it all year round! Will have to try your Dundee cake! Looks delicious 🙂
I am so glad you also love fruit cake like us. I made two Dundee cakes yesterday…I look forward to a slice every single day!!!
Liz
Looks amazing! I will definitely try this one.
I just wonder about the two weeks soaking time of the dried fruits you mentioned . They will not start fomenting during this time?
I have soaked fruits for years and never had a problem with fermenting or any such thing. I usually use some brandy, and sherry or port or other fortified wines. I usually just put mine in the cold room but sometimes I’ve left them in fridge too. You have to keep on shaking the container to mix up everything and also keep on adding more alcohol if most of it seems absorbed. There are lots of people who do it for six months to one year. I’ve not done more than 3 months. I just made two Dundee cakes and they are now sitting in an airtight container and I keep on drizzling some port over the top. Will start eating them after one week. Have a lovely weekend!
Liz
Thank you Liz, for your detailed answer. I understand now that I didn’t add enough alcohol and the temperature were not cold enough.
I admire your ability to plan and prepare recipe so far in advance! 🙂
Thank you. I wish you a pleasant week.
I never have been a fruit cake fan, but this one looks intriguing. I just may have to try it sometime and see if I’ve changed my mind about fruit cakes!
Good luck. I understand what you mean, completely. Have a nice weekend!
liz
Yummy and so inviting the cake is. I too love baking fruit cakes and enjoy eating them with my tea or coffee. Always glad to see your posts in my reader, Liz. Good day to you.
Thank you. I still have a quarter of the cake to go. How refreshing. Have a nice weekend!
liz
That looks yummy!
Than you. Enjoy the weekend.
Liz
Gorgeous!
Thank you, Susan.
I am the lone lover of fruitcake in my family. This looks like one that the haters might like more than the dark fruitcakes. I like them all. Thanks for this recipe.
I love all fruitcakes too, but I don’t think the kids love the dark fruitcakes. Thanks for visiting. You have a lovely blog!!!
Liz