Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 1 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, and prunes), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cherries or chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dark rum, plus extra for feeding the cake
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup black treacle or dark corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped (optional)

Method

1. Combine the dried fruits, cherries or apricots, rum, and orange juice in a jar or covered bowl. Soak for at least 24 hours and up to 4 days, stirring once a day. For the traditional long soak reflected in the stated time, leave the fruit for 4 days.
2. Drain the fruit, reserving the liquid. Pulse the fruit in a food processor to a coarse paste, adding a little reserved liquid if needed.
3. Heat the oven to 300°F. Grease and line a 7¾ in (8-inch) round cake pan.
4. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together.
5. Beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the molasses, treacle, and vanilla.
6. Fold in the dry ingredients, then the fruit paste, nuts, and ginger until just combined. The batter will be dark and dense.
7. Scrape into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake pulls slightly from the sides.
8. While warm, prick the top and brush with a little extra rum. Cool completely in the pan, wrap well, and ideally rest for at least a day before slicing so the flavors deepen.

Prep: 5760 min · Cook: 55 min · Total: 6065 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data