A can of prunes multitasks here – the fruit replaces muscovado sugar for colour and depth of flavour, while reducing the amount of butter and sugar you need. The apple juice from the prune can is perfect for soaking the dried fruit.
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150g Essential Unsalted Butter, softened, plus a little for the tin
150g granulated sugar
2 Essential Free Range White Eggs
175g Essential Self-raising White Flour
80g Essential Salted Mixed Nuts, 50g roughly chopped, plus 30g whole (see tip)
Method
A couple of hours before baking (or the night
before), combine the mixed fruit and quartered
cherries in a bowl. Drain the can of prunes over
the top and leave the fruit to soak. Remove the
stones from the prunes, then blend the fruit
in a jug with a handheld blender (or pass them
through a sieve), to make a smooth purée.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4.
Butter a 900g loaf tin and line it with baking
parchment, leaving 2cm trim above the edge
of the tin. Drain the soaked fruit in a sieve over
a small pan to catch the juices for later.
Using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter
and sugar together in a bowl until creamy and
pale. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then add
the prune purée, flour and a pinch of fine salt.
Fold with a spatula until almost completely
combined. Fold in the drained fruit and
chopped nuts.
Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth
the top, leaving it slightly mounded along the
middle. Scatter with the halved cherries and
30g whole nuts, pressing them in a little. Bake
for 1 hour 15 minutes-1 hour 25 minutes, until
deep golden and a skewer inserted into the
middle comes out clean. After 45 minutes,
cover the cake loosely with foil to prevent it
over-browning.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin on a rack,
then move it to a serving plate or board. Boil
the fruity soaking juices for 2-3 minutes until
syrupy, then brush over the top of the cake.
Cook’s tip
This recipe uses a mix of nuts that could be a little heavy on the peanuts for some. If you prefer, pick through the pack and retrieve the right amount of almonds, cashews and hazelnuts from the mix, especially for the whole nuts on the top.
You might not need all the glaze, so keep what’s left and use it in a salad dressing. It has a pomegranate molasses quality to it.
Keep the cake in a tin for up to a week, or wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutritional
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy
380kJ/ 330kcals
Fat
17g
Saturated Fat
9.1g
Carbohydrates
38g
Sugars
21g
Fibre
2.3g
Protein
5.8g
Salt
0.2g
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