Ginger wine and whisky fruit cake
This tea cake is laced with ginger wine and whisky for a beautifully moist, flavourful cake. It will keep for at least six months.
Ingredients
- 300驳/10陆辞锄 raisins
- 150驳/5陆辞锄 currants
- 150驳/5陆辞锄 sultanas
- 200ml/7fl oz ginger 'wine' (preferably a non-alcoholic version, such as Glendale)
- 50ml/2fl oz whisky, plus extra for feeding the cake
- 200g/7oz butter, plus extra for greasing
- 200g/7oz dark brown sugar
- 4 free-range eggs
- 50驳/1戮辞锄 ground almonds
- 200g/7oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp finely chopped stem ginger
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 2 tsp ground ginger
Method
Soak the raisins, currants and sultanas in the ginger wine and whisky in a bowl overnight, or preferably for two days.
Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm/8in cake tin with butter and greaseproof paper.
Beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Add the sugar and mix thoroughly.
Add an egg and the ground almonds and some of the flour, then alternate adding the remaining eggs and flour until all incorporated.
Stir in the soaked fruits and extra liquid along with the stem ginger mixed spice and ground ginger. Mix well.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approximately one hour 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. (Check the cake after an hour - you may want to cover the tin with foil to prevent the cake from colouring too much.)
Once the cake has cooled, prick the cake all over with a skewer and feed the cake with a little whisky. The cake can be served immediately, but for an extra rich, moist cake repeat the feeding at least twice over a two-week period.
Wrap the cake in baking parchment or cling film and store in a dark dry place until, ready to serve. The cake will keep for at least six months.
