Christmas cake with Drambuie-soaked fruit

Name: Christmas cake with Drambuie-soaked fruit
Prep time: 1 h
Total time: 5 h 20 min
Yield: 25
Ingredients: 750 g vine fruit mix; 250 g soft apricots, quartered; 200 g tub Cooks’ Ingredients Italian Cut Mixed Peel; 200 g tub Cooks’ Ingredients Provençal Glacé Cherries, halved; 100 g pitted soft prunes, quartered; 1 orange, scrubbed, zest and juice; 100 ml Drambuie, plus extra to feed the cake; 250 g unsalted butter, softened, plus a little for greasing; 200 g dark brown muscovado sugar; 5 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Eggs, beaten; 300 g plain flour, sifted; 200 g walnut pieces

This fruity cake benefits from being made 2-3 months in advance, so that you can 'feed' it with Drambuie to keep it moist and tasty.

4.5 out of 5 stars(3) Rate this recipe

Vegetarian

Makes25 slices
CourseCake
Prepare1 hr
Cook4 hrs
Total time5 hrs 20 mins
Plusovernight soaking

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Ingredients

750g vine fruit mix
250g soft apricots, quartered
200g tub Cooks’ Ingredients Italian Cut Mixed Peel
200g tub Cooks’ Ingredients Provençal Glacé Cherries, halved
100g pitted soft prunes, quartered
1 orange, scrubbed, zest and juice
100ml Drambuie, plus extra to feed the cake
250g unsalted butter, softened, plus a little for greasing
200g dark brown muscovado sugar
5 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Eggs, beaten
300g plain flour, sifted
200g walnut pieces

Method

Place all the dried fruit into a large bowl, then stir in the orange zest and juice and Drambuie. Cover and leave to soak overnight.
Preheat the oven to 150ºC, gas mark 2. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm-square (or 23cm diameter round) cake tin with baking parchment so it stands 5cm above the top. Using string, tie a double thickness of baking parchment around the outside of the tin to help prevent the cake from drying out during cooking.
In a large bowl, use a hand-held electric whisk to beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a spoonful of flour with the last few additions of egg.
Add the soaked fruit and walnuts with any remaining liquid, then mix well. Fold in the rest of the flour. Spoon into the cake tin, then use a round-bladed knife to level the top of the mixture. Stand the tin on a tray and bake for 3-4 hours until cooked through, covering the top of the cake with foil if it starts to over-brown. Check the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer into its centre. If it comes out clean, it’s cooked. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
Remove the cake from the tin and store in its lining paper, wrapped tightly in foil. Store in a cool place. Feed the cake every few weeks by unwrapping it, making small holes in the top, then drizzling with a couple of tablespoons of Drambuie. This will help to keep the cake moist and add extra flavour.