EASTER FRUITCAKE

Easter is more festive with a fruitcake. Make yours ahead of time so that it mellows and matures.

Preparation time: 4hours

serves: 12

Ingredients

• 3^1/2 cups sultanas
• 3^1/4 cups currants
• 1^1/2 cups chopped raisins
• 2/3 cup glace cherries cut in half
• 1/2 cup mixed peel
• 1^1/2 cups blanched almonds, cut in half
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 2 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2/3 cup brandy
• 1/2kg butter
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 8 eggs
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 cup self-raising flour

Method

1. Combine fruit, almonds, marmalade, rinds, juice and brandy in a large bowl. Mix well, cover bowl and allow mixture to stand for 4-7 days.
2. Cream butter with sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer or by hand until the ingredients are combined. Beat the eggs. Add creamed mixture to fruit mixture, mix thoroughly and then mix in sifted flour in two separate lots.
3. Spread the mixture evenly into deep square or round cake pans. Bake in a slow oven for about 3-5 minutes.

Cooking tips

• The size of a fruitcake is determined by the amount of butter used in the recipe. A 1/2 kg of butter will make a 500gms cake
• It is important to have the eggs and butter at room temperature. Beat the butter with an electric mixer, wooden spoon or by hand until it turns pale. Over-creaming of butter and sugar will result in an overly crumbly cake.
• Add the eggs one at time until each egg is absorbed by the mixture. There is less chance of the mixture curdling if the eggs are added quickly.