Rubes Fruit Cake for Christmas or a Wedding
Christmas is almost upon us and time to start thinking about getting those christmas cakes going. Ruby is renowned for her baking and here she shares her spectacular fruit cake recipe which is equally good for christmas or your wedding. Ruby says “Gladioli Botha, an International Sugar Artist Judge, won first prize on the Rand Royal Show and many other shows for this Christmas Cake year after year. I belonged to a cake decorating club called Sugar Craft for many years and Gladioli Botha was our President and and my mentor – she shared her fabulous recipe with me. I used this as a base for the wedding cakes I baked and decorated in my wonderful little business in Johannesburg where I lived for 25 years. I have made this cake for at least 150 brides. So here we go.”
Prepare tins
You need two tins, 8 inch square
Line each tin with a double layer of foil, shiny side to the inside.
Spread with butter.
Ingredients
4 1/2lbs of mixed fruit: raisins, sultanas, currants, candied peel(optional-I don’t use, some people don’t like it)*
1 lb dates, finely chopped *
1 1/2 lbs butter *
1 1/2 lbs brown sugar *
1/2 lb pecans
1/2 lb glazed fruit
1 lb fresh cherries,halved and pips removed
12 eggs, extra large
2 lbs cake flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
]1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons bi carb
2 cups brandy
1 cup masala
Method
- Boil together all ingredients marked with * with 2 cups water and 1 cup brandy for 15 minutes.
- Turn into a large bowl and add 2 teaspoons bi carb and stir. Leave to cool completely.
- Cut pecans, chop glazed fruit, wash cherries, which have been halved, and add to cooled mixture.
- Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture alternating with the eggs which have been beaten.
- Fill tins 2/3rds full. Wet hands with water and pat the top of the mixture until even – it will look sort of milky.
- NOW HERE IS THE TRICK. Put both tins into a cooking bag (roasting bag) and tie with string.
- Bake at 130 deg C for about 3 hours – 8″ square or 4 – 41/2 hours for a round tin
- You can smell when it is cooked. Not sure – stick a skewer into it and if it comes out clean its cooked.
- Take out the oven and pour remaining 1 cup brandy and 1 cup masala over the cakes whilst still in the cake tin. Put them back into the roasting bags and cover them with a blanket and allow them to cool completely (18 hours).
- Decorate if you are an artist or eat as is.
- Thank you, Ruby.
From the Kitchen at Dorset Road 