Easy fruit cake recipe?

[Binky Profile]

We are self-isolating at present, and are getting our supermarket needs/groceries delivered to the front door.

All the cakes and biscuits (apart from all-butter shortbreads) unfortunately contain palm oil, so we don't buy any. What I need is a fool-proof recipe for a basic fruit cake.

Does anyone have a tried-and -tested favourite?

[DEB Profile]

Here is one I make alot it is not a true fruit ake as such but it does hit the spot.

https://taleof2kitchens.com/2013/05/13/ ... ary-berry/

this is another I use asome what ricjher but does have nuts.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/dundee-cake

I hope you find one of these fits the bill

[Suelle Profile Website]

This is not a heavy fruit cake, but can be adapted to whatever fruit you like, and also made with all flour if you don't want to use ground nuts. I don't usually add more than 150g of nuts, fruit or chopped chocolate. A double quantity can be baked in a 2lb loaf tin or a 20cm (8") round tin, but will take a little longer - maybe 75 minutes.

https://mainlybaking.blogspot.com/2019/ ... -cake.html

[jeral Profile]

It might be worth investing in a stand mixer as even Mary Berry is a fan of the all-in-one (just bung it all in) method. It does make cake making a doddle and most mixes can be frozen once cooked, which makes sense as might as well cook it all while the oven's on.

For basic recipes, I always go back to my basic cook book(s) as keeping the proportions right seems to be the key thing.

[Rainbow Profile]

I always make a boiled fruit cake recipe - some have a tin of pineapple in but others just use water.
Very easy to make - the one posted on the other forum is very popular with people over there! If you don't want alcohol just use more water.

You can use butter instead of margarine - I usually do.

http://www.wildfood.info/viewtopic.php? ... ke#p474287

Just noticed it's all in Imperial measures!!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I too tend to make a “boiled” fruit cake

I follow the Be-Ro recipe but can’t find it online at the moment, I usually add a little spice and a shot of rum to the warm fruit, water, butter and sugar while it’s cooling. The secret is to let it cool well before adding the eggs and flour, so those don’t get boiled too

[Pommes Profile]

My favourite, easy peasy, foolproof recipe for fruit cake is in 'The Dairy Book of Home Cookery', 1969 edition, so probably not online.

Family Fruit Cake.

1/2lb SR flour,
1/4lb. butter or margarine,
1/4lb. C. sugar,
1/4lb. dried fruit, (currants, sultanas or seedless raisins),
1lvl. tsp, grated lemon peel,
1 standard egg,
5 tbsps. milk.

Rub butter into the flour. Add sugar, fruit & lemon peel. Mix with the beaten egg & milk, Do not beat. Transfer to 6in. round tin & bake @ 350°F/gas mark 4 for 1&1/4 hrs. ,
This is the basic recipe from the book, but I usually add mixed spice & vary the fruit, add nuts, & use 2 eggs +3tbsps. milk. Very adaptable, according to taste.

[Sakkarin Profile]

The Be-Ro recipe is as Pommes recipe except:
> substitute lemon peel and fruit with 6 oz mixed dry fruit
> substitute 1 egg and 5 tbs milk with 2 eggs and 2 tbs milk
> 7 inch tin for 50 mins at 180C/350F Mk 3

Marguerite Patten's Everyday Cookbook "Cut And Come Again Cake" as Pommes except:
> substitute lemon peel and fruit with 6 oz mixed dry fruit plus 2oz mixed peel
> 2lb loaf, 6 inch or 5 inch square tin, 1 - 1.25 hrs @ Mk 4

[Sakkarin Profile]

I made the Bero cake last night using the soft Stork margarine. Very easy as the margerine rubs in effortlessly. Made a half portion in a 6 inch tin, took 35 minutes to cook. It was a bit dry, and the fruit had sunk a bit. Not really a hearty out-and-out fruit pie, but a passable standby, doubtless tastes a lot better with butter, although the recipe states marg specifically.

I now have a hankering for some of that "bakery bread pudding". Now that IS moist and fruity. Sadly I'll be without for a while, as I doubt there'll be any brown loaves in the supermarkets, and I doubt I'll be able to make fruit cake for a while either, as I used my last egg on that one...

[Stokey Sue Profile]

This is the Be-Ro recipe I have been using for decades

Place 12oz dried fruit (any mixture you like, I include some candied peel and cherries) into a saucepan with 4oz butter, 4oz sugar (I use Demerara if I have it) and 5 fl oz water. Simmer for 20minutes then allow to cool, adding a splash of booze if I feel like it.
Add a large egg then add 8oz self raising flour, and some mixed spice if I feel like it

Put into a lined 6 inch loose bottom round tin and bake at gas mark 21/2 for 90 minutes, covering if it shows signs of getting too brown

I’ve just copied this from a version I wrote out when I was still at school and it occurs to me that although I must have made it nearly every year since, not since I got my fan oven.

[Sakkarin Profile]

Simmer for 20 MINUTES!?!

That's a new one on me, I've found it in the Bero book, it was 15 pages further into the "book", the Fruit cake I made is on page 47, the "easy" (why is it any easier?) one is on page 61.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Simmer for 20 MINUTES!?!

That's a new one on me, I've found it in the Bero book, it was 15 pages further into the "book", the Fruit cake I made is on page 47, the "easy" (why is it any easier?) one is on page 61.

Yes, 20 minutes so the fruit fully plumps up, like stewed prunes or similar.

I used to make this a lot for my parents, was very popular in the flats