A wonderfully fragrant, rich fruit cake – perfect for the festive season! The longer it ages with brandy “feeding,” the better it gets.
Ingredients:
- 250g butter
- 250g castor sugar
- 6 eggs
- 250g cherries, chopped
- 500g fruit cake mix
- 250g chopped nuts
- ½ tsp salt
- 500g cake flour
- 5 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp lemon or orange essence
- 250ml brandy
- Extra brandy for feeding the cake
Method:
- Beat the butter, then gradually add the sugar. Beat until light and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix the fruit cake mix, cherries, and nuts together, then add it to the butter mixture and fold it through.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Fold the dry ingredients into the mixture.
- Add the essence and 125ml brandy. Mix until well combined.
- Line a bread or cake tin with wax paper and grease with butter. Spoon the mixture into the tin.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for 3½ hours.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Pour 125ml of brandy over the cooled cake. Wrap tightly in foil and let it age for at least a month.
- After two weeks, you may pour an additional 2 Tbsp to ¼ cup brandy over the cake, every two weeks (optional but it will help keep the cake from drying out).
Enjoy a wonderfully fragrant, rich fruit cake! 🎄
