Fruitcake can be traced back to Roman times when the cake contained ingredients such as pomegranate seeds and pine nuts mixed with barley mash, spices, and honey. A light golden fruitcake, lightly spiced, and chockfull of brandy-soaked fruit and almonds.
This fruitcake has a butter cake base, producing a cake that is lighter than a traditional densely fruit-laden fruitcake. You can make a fruitcake without alcohol, though traditionally it is made with alcohol. You can use orange juice instead and you do not need to soak the fruit. But you can soak the fruit for a few hours to soften the fruit again it is not necessary.
Fruitcake is traditionally enjoyed in Latin America on Christmas Eve with hot chocolate. But it will make delicious toast and french toast the next morning, as well as fantastic bread pudding. They also keep very well and make excellent holiday gifts.
Ingredients;
- 1 1/2 cups plain/all-purpose flour (180grams/ 6.3Oz)
- 1/2 cup powdered almonds (60grams/ 2.1Oz)
- 170gm butter or margarine
- 1/2 cup sugar, ground to a powder (100grams/ 3.5Oz)
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup dried fruits and candied peel
- 1/2 cup chopped cherries
- 2 tsp. vanilla essence
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 cup milk (50ml)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions;
See continuation on next page
