Boiled Fruit Cake

Method

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1. Put the fruit, water, butter, sugar and mixed spice in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for 5 minutes.

   Mark done Start 5 min timer

2. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. It will foam. Leave the mixture to cool completely, about 1 hour.

   Mark done Start 1 hr timer

3. Heat the oven to 150°C / 300°F and grease and double-line a 20 cm round deep cake tin with baking paper.

   Mark done

4. Stir the eggs into the cooled fruit, then sift in both flours and add the orange juice. Mix until just combined.

   Mark done

5. Spoon into the tin, level the top and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.

   Mark done Start 1 hr timer

6. Cool in the tin for at least 1 hour, then turn out onto a wire rack.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Cool the fruit completely before adding the eggs. Hot fruit scrambles them.
• Double-line the tin. A slow bake will burn the outside of a single-lined cake.
• Cover the top with foil if it browns too much before the middle is cooked.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• No self-raising flour to hand? Use the same weight of plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 150 g.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cup of tea
• A slice of sharp cheddar
• Butter

Storage & Reheating

Keep wrapped in an airtight tin up to 2 weeks. Freeze in slices for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.