(I adapted the recipe from Christophe Megel, Executive Chef at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Singapore – Strait Times article – 7 Dec 2003)
Ingredients:• 125gm butter softened
• 125gm sugar (white sugar so that cake mixture is not dark)
• 4 eggs
• 37 gm honey (approx. 2-3 tbsp honey)
• 270 gm plain flour
• 8 gm baking powder
• 625 gm mixed confit fruits
• 125 gm dried apricots (diced)
• 125 gm dried prunes (diced) – note: I replaced prunes with dried apricots
• 125 gm confit cherries (red & green) – diced
• 400 ml brandy or rum (I prefer brandy as it has a very nice fragrant and flavour)
Method:Prepare the mixed fruits – 1 week in advance. Some prefer to soak the fruits for longer period, personally I find 1 week is sufficient as the fruits have absorbed the brandy and are soft and juice:
• Soaked mixed confit fruits and dried apricots with brandy in a glass bowl with cover. Put into fridge.
• Remember to stir with a dry spoon every day.
• On the day you plan to bake, add the diced confit cherries (red & green) to the soaked fruits for 1-2 hours. If you soak cherries for 1 week, the color will not be as vibrant.
Baking:
Butter the cake mould (this recipe makes 3 loaves of fruitcake – 15cm by 6cm rectangular mould
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
2. Sift flour and the baking powder
3. Mix soft butter and sugar together until creamy.
4. Blend eggs with honey and pour slowly into the creamed butter.
5. Divide your flour and soaked fruits into 4 portions as you need to slowly blend the flour and fruits into the cake dough
6. Mix 1 portion of flour into dough and carefully stir. Once blended, then add 1 portion of soaked mixed fruits and carefully stir. Once blended, repeat with flour and then soaked mixed fruits until all used up. (This method is to ensure the cake dough doesn’t separate and becomes crumbly).
7. Pour the cake dough into 3 cake moulds until ¾ full.
8. Bake the cake at 200 degrees for 10 mins. This is to give the cake the oomph and bring it to life (to rise nicely). It will also brown nicely (not too dark/burned)
9. Then reduce the temperature to 160 degrees for 35-40 mins to slowly cook. Depending on your type of oven, it will be wise to check by inserting a stick to centre of dough. If it comes out dry, then the cake is ready. If it is wet, then leave for another 5 mins.
10. Allow the cake to cool for 5 mins in cake tin. Remove and cool in the wire rack for 2-3 hours (until completely cooled down).
11. Wrap in aluminium foil and keep in the fridge.
Extra Method to mature the fruit cake:For those who enjoy brandy/liquor, you can mature the cake by poking tiny holes into the cake (using a toothpick) and brush with brandy (1 tsp). Wrap back the aluminium foil and put into the fridge. Repeat this for 1-2 weeks prior to serving.
Method to slice the cake:I find it easier to slice the cake straight out from the fridge whilst it is hard. Once it turns to room temperature, the cake will be soft and difficult to slice.