Staffordshire fruit cake recipe

Staffordshire Fruit Cake recipe

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About this recipe

In this blog post I will guide you thru the steps and ingredients needed to craft this recipe. Grab your favorite apron and let's start.
This Staffordshire fruit cake recipe is a delightful treat that is perfect for any occasion. Packed with a rich combination of dried fruits and warm spices, this cake is a true crowd-pleaser. The recipe yields a moist and flavorful cake that will have everyone coming back for seconds. Whether you're hosting a tea party or simply looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, this Staffordshire fruit cake is sure to impress.

Keywords: Staffordshire fruit cake, recipe, dried fruits, spices, moist.

staffordshire fruit cake recipe details

Staffordshire fruit cake recipe, recipe Rating: 4.6
Number of votes:110 

Ingredients

175 g	unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp	brandy
50 g	mixed candied peel, finely chopped
50 g	glacÚ cherries, quartered
225 g	currants
50 g	ground almonds
50 g	treacle or blackstrap molasses
½ tsp	baking powder
½ tsp	ground mace
225 g	plain flour
4 medium	eggs
175 g	caster sugar
2 tsp	fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Grease and line an 8-inch 20cm cake tin. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4, 180║C, 350║F.

Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, whisk the eggs until light and then whisk into the butter mixture.

Sift the flour, baking powder and mace together and fold into the egg mixture alternately with the treacle and ground almonds.

Mix the dried fruit together in a bowl and stir into the mixture with the brandy. Transfer the mixture to the tin and level the surface. Bake for 2 hours. Check after 1-1╝ hours; if the top is darkening too quickly, cover with kitchen foil.

Allow to cool in tin for 15 minutes and then turn out to a wire rack to cool.

Store for at least 48 hours, but up to 7 days, in an airtight tin before using.

Option: if making for adults, use 3 or 4 tbsp of brandy and pre-soak the fruit for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible. Cover the bowl with cling film and add entire contents to cake mixture when specified.

About this recipe:
My mother used to have several ‘classic British birthday cake’ recipes and made them regularly for many years, not only for family birthdays but also for neighbours. Most were heavily fruited, although another two she occasionally used were plain – one a Madeira cake and another flavoured strongly with almonds and almond extract. Those recipes were I think lost in a house move in 1970 along with a great many more family favourites.

Although I have not made this for some years, my recollection is that it is not quite as heavy as the older fruited birthday cakes I remember from my youth but it is fairly modern-style alternative. My mother was the first in the family to use the recipe but she sometimes was unable to obtain treacle and used golden syrup instead. It produced a cake lighter in texture, colour and flavour and I actually preferred it that way at the time. Nowadays, I would not hesitate to include treacle.

Preparation time:
ca. 30 min
Resting time:
ca. 2 days
Grade of difficulty:
easy
Calories per portion:
n/a