Boozy Fruit Cake

Last winter, I had a guest who was allergic to nuts. It was very cold, and I wanted to bake something to warm us up. I found a website on the Tesco’s website for a nut-free boozy fruit cake, and I do believe I ended up getting a little carried away with the brandy! That may explain why everyone was so mirthful and complimented this cake as the best they had ever tasted.

A very easy baking experience. Just be more moderate than I was about the brandy!!

INGREDIENTS

200g butter, softened
200g dark brown soft sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp black treacle
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 Bramley apple (about 220g/7oz), cored and finely chopped
150g (5oz) raisins
150g (5oz) cranberries
2 tbsp brandy (I confess, I misread the instructions in the method and ended up putting around 10tbsp brandy in!)

METHOD

Heat the oven to gas 4 180°C, 160°C fan. Butter and line the base and sides of a deep, round 20cm cake tin with grease-proof paper.

Beat together the butter and sugar until creamy (I used electric beaters), then add the eggs and treacle and beat until combined fully. Put the raisins and cranberries in a small microwavable bowl, cover with the brandy and microwave for 30 seconds. (I think I read that last sentence as “cover with brandy”, so I just opened the bottle and poured until the fruit was covered – ooops!! It is only supposed to be 2 tbsp brandy!)

Sift in the flour, spices and baking powder, then mix well before folding in the apple, dried fruit and brandy.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for one hour, until a skewer comes out clean. As I had used so much brandy, it took another ten minutes to bake through! Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.