Best Rich Fruit Wedding Cake Recipes

RICH FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Place the currants, sultanas and raisins in a bowl. Heat the wine or sherry until it just starts to bubble around the edge of the pan, then pour over the fruit. Cover and allow to stand overnight.
• Grease and line a 23cm round or a 20cm square deep cake tin. Preheat the oven to 160°C/150°fan/gas mark 3.
• Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy Make sure you beat out any lumps in the sugar. Gradually beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition. Next beat in the treacle.
• Sift the flour and mixed spice into the bowl and fold in.
• Add the soaked fruit, almonds, cherries, peel and lemon or orange zest and mix well.
• Spoon into the prepared tin and level the top, then make a slight dip in the middle.
• Bake for 1 hour, then reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/130°C fan/gas mark 1 and cook for a further 1-2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

RICH DARK FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Wash and dry the raisins and the currants. Wash, dry, pit, and chop the dates. Chop the raisins and the citrus peel. Slice the cherries. Blanch the almonds, and slice them lengthwise. Combine fruits and nuts in large bowl.
• Grease and line 3 standard Christmas cake pans (these round pans are at least 3 inches deep and come in a set of three sizes- 5, 7, and 9 inch across) with 4 layers of heavy waxed paper, or 3 layers of brown paper. Grease again. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices onto a piece of waxed paper. Remove 1 cup of this flour mixture, and combine with fruit and nuts. Mix until fruit is well coated.
• Cream the butter until fluffy. Add extracts. Gradually add sugar, mixing until creamy. Beat egg yolks until light and lemon-colored, and beat into the butter mixture. Stir in the molasses, and beat together well. Add half of the remaining flour mixture, and blend thoroughly.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into batter. Stir in lightly the remaining flour mixture alternately with grape juice and coffee. Add floured fruit and nuts, blending in until fruit is well distributed.
• Turn batter into prepared cake tins, filling each about 2/3 full and spreading batter evenly. Bake in center of oven. Bake small cake 2 1/2 hours, medium cake 3 1/2 hours, and large cake 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes, then turn out on wire rack to cool.