With Easter time approaching I shall possess a houseful of individuals to give. My easy Steamed Fruitcake is an excellent treat for everyone with a mug of tea, or heated like a dessert with fresh cream, custard or ice-cream. Even non-cooks could make this cake!
I really like this recipe since i can whip up with ingredients I've within the kitchen. It keeps well, and freezes well too. (The image above also shows a load of my Lemonade Scones. that I added some dates and lemon rind. Sorry, no tablecloth your day this picture was taken we’d been out mustering cattle and counseled me a little grubby for fancies.)
1.2kg mixed dried fruit (you can purchase this like a bag of mixed fruit however i rather like in what would be to hands), 250g butter cubed, 1 and 1/4 cups water if using pre-packaged mixed fruit, 2 glasses of water if utilizing a combination in which the fruit looks quite dry, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 1 x 395g tin of condensed milk, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or vinegar of your liking), two tablespoons rum or brandy, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, 2 glasses of plain flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Almonds and/or cherries to brighten if preferred. *Note if you want, substitute strong tea for that alcohol, and gluten-free flour rather of plain flour
Put your mixed fruit right into a large saucepan. (With this cake within the picture I made use of 200g of dried peaches finely chopped, 100g of goji berries, 400g of dates and 500g of sultanas and a number of chopped pecans as which was the fruit I needed to hands. The gojis, dates and peaches were very dry therefore the extra water was needed!) Add some chopped butter, water and Bicarb Soda and produce towards the boil, stirring frequently so nothing stays with the underside. If this has started to boil switch off heat and allow the mixture awesome. This requires a couple of hrs and plumps up all of the fruit superbly.
After cooling it ought to seem like this, with nice juicy fruit pieces.
Once the mixture has cooled preheat your oven to 150 levels celcius you'll need a slow oven therefore the cake cooks through completely without having to burn or becoming dry. Make a large round or square tin by lining it with baking paper, or choose 2 or 3 smaller sized tins. (I made use of three with this batch when i desired to eat one, give one away, and also have someone to keep.)
As the oven is heating, incorperate your condensed milk, vinegar, alcohol and vanilla, stirring well. Just mix it into the big saucepan. This way you simply get one pot to clean up! The mix will foam just a little don’t panic, this really is normal. Then sift your flour, baking powder and spices in to the mixture and stir through until combined. Taste the raw batter and adjust spices if required. You mixture is going to be thick and also you’ll require a strong arm.
Spoon the mix in to the tin or tins. Wet your hands after which press lower gently around the mixture to smooth it making the tin evenly filled, making certain this mixture is pressed in well in to the corners.
Then you can decorate the very best with almonds or cherries if you want. Devote the oven and stick to the baking occasions below, utilizing a skewer to check from the cake is completed about 10 mins prior to the time expires. Whether it arrives clean the wedding cake is prepared, if mixture still adheres towards the skewer bake longer.
thrice 8cm by 25cm tins bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour
2 x 12cm x 23cm loaf tins bake for just one hour and 20 minutes
1 x 24cm square tin bake for 2 hrs
Whenever you pull the cakes in the oven pour a capful of additional rum or brandy outrageous as the cake continues to be warm. Then leave these to awesome within their tins before removing.
These ones would be the date and goji fruit mixture I described within the method above, using rum. They're wealthy and dark and divine:
Which batch was predominantly sultana, cherries along with a little mixed peel with brandy, which gave a lighter texture and flavour:
These are actually excellent gifts, and also the flavour is a good example for their services like a traditional Christmas Cake. Enjoy!
That sounds heavenly, I really like a steamed fruit cake. I especially such as the beautiful adornments you’ve made on the top, it’s so pretty and will make an excellent gift, while you say. Not too I’m against alcohol by any means however i would like to check it out with tea inside it any excuse to eat more tea! Not to mention I'd possess a nice thick slice from it with a mug of tea (as the cake was still being warm&....yummy!).
Like it. Finally a fruitcake recipe that appears wonderful (and never saturated and funky). Love the almond &"flowers&" on the top!
It's certainly a keeper. I think you'll enjoy making (and eating!) it.
OMG&...I didn’t see the pics yesterday&...however i bought one of these simple fruit cakes in the recent CWA cake stall&...and offered it in a Tea Party a few days ago&...it had been scrumptious indeed&...very! Where would you buy tins this shallow and lengthy?
Yay Satisha! I’m so glad you enjoyed my cakes, which money goes to such worthy rural causes. I've had these tins for many years, and acquired them in a catering supply shop when I'd a catering business. I've come across them in niche kitchen shops though. I personally use them a great deal for almond bread too. Those are the perfect size for your.
Thank you for that information on the wedding cake tins&...love almond bread too&...are you discussing this recipe too? Big smile on dial when i consider all of the books you can write&...very healing&...country cooking&...Solki’s Spiritual choices&...and other great tales. I've my ‘fruit’ around the stove sitting let's focus on that couple of hrs to plump up before pointed in the oven this mid-day following a beach walk go swimming. Existence is really wonderful&...please give Ms. Carly Calf just a little hug from me&...X
p.s I additionally made some cakes for that recent CWA cake stall&...my first choices!
Probably the most scrumptious cake! I really like your recipes Miss Nic (almost around I really like you!)