This is a very versatile recipe – you can replace the rum with something more suitable to the targeted eaters of this cake (:D), you can make muffins out of it and you can replace the used dried fruits to better suit your taste. It goes well with coffee or tea – trust me on this because i tested it quite lot (truth being told, I ate the entire cake alone, something that I am a bit ashamed to admit, but it really went well with the n-cups of coffee that i drink).
Might not look fancy, but is GOOOOD! Piece of advice: do not eat it in one day or even better, share it! 🙂
Enjoy it with a smile! 🙂
How to
- YIELD: 12 slices
Ingredients:
- 100 g (3.5 oz) raisins
- 50 ml (3 tbsp) dark rum plus an extra 50 ml (3 tbsp) to sprinkle
- 125 g (4.4 oz) butter
- 125 g (4.4 oz) iceing sugar, sifted
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 large vanilla pod, split lengthwise
- 190 g (6.7 oz) plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 200 g (7 oz) mixed dried fruits (apricots, lemon rind, cherries etc.), chopped
- 75 g (2.65 oz) warmed apricot jam, sieved
Directions:
Soak the raisins in the rum for 15 minutes (rum can be replaced with water). Whisk the butter and icing sugar together for 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the egg yolk. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the mixture and mix until well combined. Sift about 4/5 of the flour with the baking powder over the mixture and fold in gently.
Toss the raisins and the dried fruits in the remaining flour until they are well coated in it. Fold them into the cake mixture, without overworking. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Butter a loaf tin (20x8cm/ 7.9×3.15in) and line with baking paper, making sure it extends about 2cm/0.78in above the rim.
Spread the cake mixture into the prepared tin evenly and bake for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to 180°C (356°F) and cook further for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Take the cake out of the oven and immediately sprinkle the rum over it (if not using the rum, this step can be skipped). Leave it for 10-15 minutes to cool in the tin, then transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Lightly brush the surface of the cake with the warmed apricot jam (sieved).
The cake is best served 12 hours after being cooked, cut into thin slices.