fruit cake

Olliebeak

When you say 'fruit cake' - what type do you mean?

Something like a Farmhouse Fruit Cake with mixed fruit and some spice in (you need a mix that is denser than Victoria Sandwich for that one).

Or something more like Wedding/Christmas Cake?

Or what about one of those where you soak the fruit in tea overnight to give lovely juicy sultanas/raisins and a darker colour than Farmhouse Fruit Cake?

Do you intend leaving it plain or decorating it to make it more 'birthday-ish'?

mrbadexample

Olliebeak wrote: »

When you say 'fruit cake' - what type do you mean?

I don't know! I've never made fruit cake!

Olliebeak wrote: »

Something like a Farmhouse Fruit Cake with mixed fruit and some spice in (you need a mix that is denser than Victoria Sandwich for that one).

:think: Possibly! Tell me more!

Olliebeak wrote: »

Or something more like Wedding/Christmas Cake?

Well, he's on his third wife, so probably sick of wedding cake. :rotfl: And it's not Christmas. So, no, I don't think this is quite what I'm looking for.

Olliebeak wrote: »

Or what about one of those where you soak the fruit in tea overnight to give lovely juicy sultanas/raisins and a darker colour than Farmhouse Fruit Cake?

Well, I've made a tea-loaf before - it was ok, but not as good as I'd hoped.

Olliebeak wrote: »

Do you intend leaving it plain or decorating it to make it more 'birthday-ish'?

Yes. One or the other. That's where I need the inspiration.

I think I need to know more about the Farmhouse Fruit cake please! :T

Olliebeak

A Farmhouse Fruit Cake is not one that I would decorate - it's more of an 'afternoon tea' type of cake.

Here's one recipe (taken from Shelter Cake Time site) http://www.caketime.org.uk/caketimegallery.php

Fruit cake
Recipe submitted by Stuart Wilkes
Serves more than 10 people
Ingredients
450g mixed dried fruit
225g butter or margarine
350g Demerara sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon Brandy or Sherry
350g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Salt
Mixed spice
Method
Place the fruit in a large saucepan, barely cover with water, bring to boil
and simmer for five minutes.
Strain off the water; chop in the butter or margerine while the fruit is still hot. Add sugar and mix
well. Add beaten eggs, mix well in.
Add brandy or sherry, and stir in plain flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt and small teaspoon of mixed spice. Make sure it is all well mixed.
Bake in a lined 8inch round tin or loaf tin for about 2 hours at 180c - 350f
or gas mark 4.
Registered charity number 263710

I no longer have my old recipe books (got left behind during divorce hassle!) but I know that the one I used to do involved creaming the marg/sugar and adding eggs/flour alternately and then adding the fruit at the end. However I can't for the life of me remember the quantities of any of them - just know that it was 'denser' than a Victoria Sandwich cake - to hold the fruit without it sinking. But the picture of that one above, looked very similar to the one I used to make.

Olliebeak

Just found this one on the Be-ro website and it sounds more like the one I used to do.

http://www.be-ro.com/f_insp.htm

How strange, the link doesn't take you directly to the recipe in question. When it opens you will need to select cakes on the right hand side of the page, then select Fruit Cake (NOT the Easy Fruit Cake - that one is a boil in the pan job).

mrbadexample

Olliebeak wrote: »

Just found this one on the Be-ro website and it sounds more like the one I used to do.

http://www.be-ro.com/f_insp.htm

How strange, the link doesn't take you directly to the recipe in question. When it opens you will need to select cakes on the right hand side of the page, then select Fruit Cake (NOT the Easy Fruit Cake - that one is a boil in the pan job).

I immediately dismissed the Easy Fruit Cake as unworthy of my talent.

The other one looks to be exactly what I'm looking for! :j Not too heavy like a Christmas cake, much more like a birthday cake. :think: Could I make this in a 2lb loaf tin? I think it's the sort of cake that would look ok square?

Penelope_Penguin

mrbadexample wrote: »

I immediately dismissed the Easy Fruit Cake as unworthy of my talent.

:rotfl:

I've foubd more fruit cake recipes so I'll link this one to them - you may find more inspition, Mr BE

Penny. x

mrbadexample

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

:rotfl:

I've foubd more fruit cake recipes so I'll link this one to them - you may find more inspition, Mr BE

Penny. x

Aww...I hate gettin' merged. I lose my sense of identity in other people's threads.

And I can never find the things again!

Skint_Catt

425ml cold tea
200g brown sugar
350g mixed dried fruit
275g s/r flour
1 beaten egg

Put tea,sugar and fruit in bowl , cover and leave overnight.
Sift flour into bowl and gradually beat in the egg and tea mixture. line tin with double thickness greased paper and spoon in mixture. preheat oven to 180c/350F. bake for approx 1.5hrs

This is Barm Brack and its gorgeous (though slightly on the heavy side

When's too early to start making a Christmas Cake? Thats my challenge for this year!

Catt xx

Penelope_Penguin

mrbadexample wrote: »

Aww...I hate gettin' merged. I lose my sense of identity in other people's threads.

Sorry I forgot, temporarily, that you have PPR (Preferential Posting Rights :rotfl: )

Penny. x

mrbadexample

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Sorry I forgot, temporarily, that you have PPR (Preferential Posting Rights :rotfl: )

Penny. x

's ok. I blame meself for not making the post original enough. :rolleyes:

Can I use butter instead of marge in that Be-Ro recipe? I've got plenty of butter....