Ingredients
Small cake –
300g tropical dried fruit
150g softened butter
150g light muscovado sugar
1/2 tbsp Golden syrup
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
3 medium eggs
200g plain flour
300g vine fruit mix
2tbsp rum
15cm (6in) round cake tin
Medium cake –
500g tropical dried fruit
250g softened butter
250g light muscovado sugar
1tbsp Golden syrup
2 tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground mixed spice
4 medium eggs
300g plain flour
500g vine fruit mix
4tbsp rum
20cm (8in) round cake tin
Large cake –
750g tropical dried fruit
400g softened butter
400g light muscovado sugar
1 ½ tbsp Golden syrup
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 ½ tsp ground mixed spice
6 medium eggs
450g plain flour
750g vine fruit mix
6tbsp rum
25cm (10in) round cake tin
Method
Pre heat the oven to 150°C and adjust shelves so cake can be placed centrally for cooking.
Beat the butter, sugar, golden syrup, ginger and ground mixed spice until the mixture is light and fluffy. One at a time slowly beat in the eggs, adding a small amount of flour along with each egg to help prevent the mixture curdling. Once you have added all the eggs beat in the rest of the flour. Finely chop and fold in tropical fruits and vine fruits.
Place the mixture into a cake tin, level off with a spatula.
Place the cake in the centre of the oven. The small round cake will take about 2½-2¾ hours, the medium cake will take about 3-3¼ hours and the large cake will take about 3¼-3½ hours. Check your cake is cooked by inserting a cake tester into the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean then it is cooked.
When the cake is cooked, remove it from the oven and leave it to cool for about 15-20 minutes, then spoon over the rum. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
If the cake is not being decorated immediately, wrap it in baking parchment, and then foil, excluding as much air as possible, and keep in a cool, airy place.
Products used
Master Class Non-Stick 15cm Loose Base Spring Form Cake Pan
Master Class Non-Stick 20cm Loose Base Spring Form Cake Pan
Master Class Non-Stick 25cm Loose Base Spring Form Cake Pan
Colourworks Silicone Mixing Spoon
Home Made Traditional Stoneware 31cm Mixing Bowl
Kitchen Craft Stainless Steel Eleven Wire 30cm Balloon Whisk
Master Class Contoro 3 Piece Knife Set
Colourworks Pastels Silicone Spatula
Sweetly Does It Stainless Steel Cake Tester