Quick Boiled Fruit Cake Recipe Mary Berry
This boiled fruit cake recipe is a timeless classic, packed with rich flavours and heavenly aromas. Bursting with raisins, sultanas, currants, and glacier cherries, it's the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. The secret ingredient? A can of luscious condensed milk brings an unmatched creaminess to every slice. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, this recipe promises to deliver a moist and mouthwatering fruit cake that'll have your loved ones begging for seconds!
Ingredients
- Condensed milk – 1 can 397 g/ 14 oz condensed milk
- Butter – 150 g 5.3 oz butter
- Raisins – 3/4 cup 225 g / 7.9 oz raisins
- Sultanas – 3/4 cup 225 g / 7.9 oz sultanas
- Currants – 1/2 cup 175 g / 6.2 oz currants
- Glacier cherries – 1/2 cup 175 g / 6.2 oz glacier cherries, roughly chopped
- Self-raising flour – 3/4 cup 225 grams / 7.9 ounces
- Ground mixed spice – 2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
- Ground cinnamon – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Eggs – 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to fan 130°C/266°F – conventional 150°C /300°F – gas mark 2.
- Grease an 18cm/7 inch round cake tin and line it with baking parchment.
- Combine the condensed milk, butter, and all the fruits in a large heavy-based pan.
- Gently heat the mixture, stirring until the butter melts.
- Simmer the fruit gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened.
- Set aside the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Sift the flour and spices in a large mixing bowl, making a well in the center.
- Add the eggs and the cooled fruit mixture to the well.
- Combine everything with a wooden spoon, and then turn it into your prepared cake tin.
- Bake the cake in the oven for 1¾ – 2 hours until well-risen and golden brown.
- Test if the cake is cooked properly by inserting a skewer into the middle; it should come out clean.
- Leave the cake to cool for about 10 minutes in the tin before removing the parchment paper and cooling it on a wire rack.
Notes
- Soak the dried fruits in your favorite alcohol, such as brandy or rum, before using them for an extra boozy twist.
- For a nutty crunch, add a handful of chopped walnuts or almonds to the cake batter.
- To prevent the cake’s top from browning too quickly, cover it with foil after the first hour of baking.