Making a Christmas fruit cake should be on your annual list.
It is a fruity and richer variation of the classic Nigerian Cake and usually a big favorite at Christmas parties, but it can also be made for other occasions such as Thanksgiving or a birthday party.
The most popular fruit cakes are made with dried fruits like raisins, currants, candied cherries, currents, prunes and apricots. Some people also add nuts like almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts and spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to the mix.
There are also some more unusual ingredients such as black treacle and dark rum.
Let’s dive into the recipe;
– 1 cup of mixed dried fruit (raisins, apricots, figs)
– 1 tablespoon of black treacle
– 2 cups of self-raising flour
– 2 teaspoons of mixed spice
– 1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
– 125g butter or margarine at room temperature
– 125g sugar
– 2 large eggs
– 3/4 cup milk or light cream
I hope this step-by-step guide will help you make your own fruit cake this holiday season!
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line the base of an 8inches rectangle cake pan with baking parchment.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, mixed spice, and cinnamon. Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add in the eggs and mix until combined then add in the milk until you have a smooth batter.
- Peel, core and chop up your apples into small pieces then stir them into your batter along with raisins and other dry fruits if desired. Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in comes out cleanly. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack before turning out onto a plate or serving dish:
