CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE

Recipe Notes:

• Orange liqueur is added to give the fruit cake a rich flavor and aroma. With the liqueur added, the fruit cake can also be stored a longer period (typically up to 3 months). Brandy, whisky and dark rum is a good substitute for the orange liqueur.

• You could use any types of dried mixed fruits that you prefer.

• I used a fan forced oven set to 120°C to bake the cake. I increase the temperature to 160°C for the final 10 mins of cooking time in order to brown the cake’s surface; If a conventional oven is used the temperature would be 140°C and the last 10 mins of cooking time would require a temperature of 180°C to brown the cake.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE

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(Serves 10-12 peoples)

✅️ 450 Gm Plain Flour

✅️ ¼ Tsp Ground Cinnamon

✅️ ¼ Tsp Ground Nutmeg

✅️ ¼ Salt

✅️ 1 Kg Mixed Fruit

✅️ 200 Gm Glace Cherries

✅️ 200 Gm Mixed Peel

✅️ ½ Cup Orange Liqueur

✅️ 250 Gm Brown Sugar

✅️ 250 Gm Butter, softened

✅️ 4 Eggs (±64 gm each)

✅️ 2 Tbsp Orange Marmalade

✅️ 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1. Cut the glace cherries into small pieces and transfer them into a bowl. Empty the mixed peel and the mixed fruits into the bowl. Add orange liqueur (optional) into the bowl and mix this thoroughly with the mixed fruits. Transfer them into a food container and cover the container with its lid. Let the mixed fruits soak with the liqueur for 24 hours.    

After 24 hours, shake the container containing the mixed fruits soaked with liqueur prepared earlier to mix well. Remove the container’s lid and keep the container aside until needed.    

2. Line a square (bottom loose) cake tin with 2 layers of baking paper neatly.    

3. Whisk plain flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and salt in a bowl to mix well and set aside.    

4. Beat brown sugar and softened butter in a bowl with a handheld mixer on LOW speed for 5 mins until they turn pale brown in color. Add orange marmalade and vanilla bean paste to the bowl. Beat the mixture together on LOW speed for 1 min until they are well combined. Add to the bowl 1 egg at a time, beat each egg until it has blended well with the mixture, then continue to add the remaining eggs, each time repeating the process and blend the egg well with the mixture. Sometimes oil may start to separate from the mixture. This is acceptable.    

5. Sift the flour mixture into the bowl in batches and fold the mixture to mix well with a hard spatula. In between each batch of flour being sifted and mixed into the bowl, add the mixed fruits into the same bowl and fold the mixture with the spatula. Repeat the process until all the flour and mixed fruits are added. The batter should become thick now. Keep folding until the mixture are mixed thoroughly.    

6. Fill the cake tin prepared earlier with the thick mixed fruits batter. Press the thick batter while spreading them evenly in the cake tin with a soft rubber spatula; this will remove any air pocket in the batter. Gently rub the top of the batter with the rubber spatula to smoothen the surface. Tap the cake tin on the table several times to remove any trapped air bubbles within the batter. The total cooking time of the cake in the oven is about 2 hours and 10 mins. First bake the cake at the lowest rack of a preheated fan forced oven set to 120°C for 1 hour. After the first 1 hour, rotate the cake tin 180° so that the cake will cook evenly. Continue to bake the cake for another 1 hour 10 mins. For the last 10 mins of cooking time, increase the heat to 160°C to brown the cake’s surface.    

7. Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately brush the cake with about ¼ cup of orange liqueur to add that extra flavor (Optional). Leave the cake to cool completely.    

8. Once the cake is cooled completely, unmold the cake. Transfer the cake into a food container. The cake is ready to be served if orange liqueur is not added as per Step 3, otherwise brush the cake with more orange liqueur to have a richer flavor. This step is also optional. Cover the cake container with its lid and keep the container aside for between 2 weeks to 1 month (best 1 month) to allow the liqueur to age with the cake.

9. When the cake is ready to serve, cut the cake with a sharp knife. Enjoy the Christmas fruit cake over a cup of hot tea or coffee.

RECIPE PHOTO GALLERY