When making such large cakes it is important to double line the inside of the tin and also to wrap the outside with newspaper.  Take two double pages and fold in three lengthways.  Repeat this until you have enough strips to go round the cake tin.  Hold in place with string.

It is also important to check that these large tins will actually fit in your oven and have space all round once the door is closed.  Some of the slim-line ovens will not take this size.

Finally increase the cooking time.  Cook for about two hours at 160°C then lower the temperature to 150°C until the cake is cooked.  The cooking time may be around 4 hours or more depending on your oven.

For the method for mixing these cakes please follow the instructions on the Rich Fruit Cake Recipes for Various Sized Tins.

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Choose the table you are most happy with – metric or imperial.

If you are looking for a recipe for a larger cake  please see  14″ Fruit Cake Recipes.

Fruit Cake Recipes

(Metric)

Fruit Cake Recipes

(Imperial)

Method

Grease and line the cake tin

Set oven to 160 deg C,325 deg F, Gas Mark 3

Cream butter, sugar, treacle and ground almonds together until light and creamy.

Add the egs one at a time, beating well.

Stir in the grated lemon rind.

Weigh the flour and stir in the mixed spice.

Weigh the fruit and nuts and mix into the spiced flour.

Add the flour and fruit mix to the mixture, folding in carefuly until well mixed.  If mixutre is very stiff, add a little milk.  The mixture should be of a dropping consistency (not sloppy).

Put mixture into cake tin and level top.

Cook for about one hour (for small cakes up to 8 inches (20 cm) and one and a half hours for the larger cakes at 160 deg C, 325 deg F, Gas Mark 3 then reduce to 150 deg C, 300 deg F, Gas Mark 2 until a skewar comes out clean.

Reduce the cooking temperature if the cake starts to rise.

I bake my cakes in an electric fan oven and therefore have converted my temperatures to the equivalent Gas Mark.  One of the visitors to my site (Bernadette) has baked the 12″ and 10″ square cakes in a gas oven and contacted me to let me know her experience of cooking times.  She advises that the 12″ would take approximately 5 hours in total and the 10″, 4 hours.  She also lowered the temperature to Gas Mark 1.  Many thanks Bernadette for your advice.

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This is traditional Easter Cake and is fairly Easy to make.  It is simply a fruitcake with a layer of marzipan cooked into the centre of the cake.

You may click on any image in this guide to enlarge it.

Recipe

225 grams (8 oz) butter
225 grams (8 oz) caster sugar
4 eggs
500 grams (1 lb 4 oz) mixed dried fruit
115 grams (4 oz) cherries (halved)
275 grams (10 oz) SR flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tbs milk
675 grams (1 lb 8oz) marzipan

8 inch round cake tin, greased and lined

Beat butter and sugar together until soft and creamy.  Beat eggs together and add to the mixture.  Add dried fruit to the flour and spices and mix to coat the fruit with flour.  Fold the fruit and flour into the mixture.  Add milk and stir in.

Roll out the marzipan and using the base of the tin as a template cut out a circle.

Spoon half the cake mixture into the prepared tin and spread out.  Place the marzipan round on top of this and gently press down.

Add the rest of the mixture and spread out to give an even surface.

Cover the outside of the tin with 2 layers of newspaper and bake in the preheated oven at 160 deg for 1 hour.  Reduce to 150 deg for a further one and a half hours or until the cake is cooked.

Note.  If testing if cake is baked using the skewar method, be aware that the melted marzipan can look like raw cake mixture.

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You may click on any image in this guide to enlarge it.

This cake is a firm favourite with my eldest daughter and is a must for anyone who does not like the heavy traditional fruit cake. Instead of treacle, dark brown sugar, raisins and currents, it has golden syrup, light brown sugar, apricots and sultanas.

Ingredients (to make an 8″ Round or 7″ Square Cake)

7 oz (200 g) Plain flour
1.5 tsps Ground mixed spice
2 oz (50 g) Grounds almonds
6 oz (175 g) Softened butter
6 oz (175g) Soft light brown sugar
1 tbs Golden Syrup
4 Eggs
9 oz (260 g) Chopped apricots
9 oz (260 g) Sultanas
3 oz (75 g) Yellow cherries
3 oz (75 g) Mixed peel
3 oz (75 g) Flaked almonds
Half teaspoon Vanilla extract

Prepared cake tin

Method

Set oven to 160 deg C, 325 deg F or Gas mark 3

Weigh out all the ingredients. Stir mixed spice into flour and then stir in all the fruit until it is well coated.

Mix butter, sugar, golden syrup and ground almonds together until soft and the mixture has become lighter. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and add the vanilla extract.

Fold in the flour and fruit a little at a time, stirring just enough to ensure it is all evenly mixed. The mixture should not be sloppy but stiff enough to fall off the spoon in large lumps. If it is too stiff, add a little milk.

Spoon mixture into the prepared tin and spread out to make a fairly flat surface. Tie the newspaper round the outside and place in the centre of the oven.

Cook for approx one hour (checking and adjusting temperature if cakes begins to rise) then reduce to 150 deg C, 300 deg F, Gas mark 2 until the skewer comes out clean (approx half to three quarters of an hour).

As this cake is much lighter, it is much more susceptible to sinking in the middle. To prevent this, place skewer between tin and paper to warm before inserting in the cake and leave cake in the oven for five minutes after skewar comes out clean. This prevents cold air rushing into the holes and making the cake sink.

Leave to cool in the newspaper for an hour, remove newspaper and leave in tin overnight before removing, “feeding” and storing.

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This recipe is a must for all chocolate lovers. It is a rich fruit cake with a delicious chocolate flavour.

Makes an 8″ round or 7″ square cake

Ingredients
175g (6oz) Butter – softened
175g (6oz) soft dark brown sugar
175g (6oz) plain flour
4 level tablespoons cocoa powder
3 medium sized eggs, beaten
500g (1lb) mixed fruit
125g (4oz) glace cherries
100g (3.5 oz) flaked almonds
200g dark chocolate (chocolate cooking drops are the best although a bar grated can be used)
Half teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk to mix

Grease and line the cake tin and set the oven to 160 deg C, 325 deg F, Gas Mark 3

Sift the flour and cocoa powder together and mix with the dried fruit, cherries, nuts and chocolate.
Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and creamy.
Gradually beat the eggs into the creamed butter and sugar. then fold in the floured fruit and nut mix.
Finally add the vanilla extract and enough milk to give a dropping consistency.

Spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth the surface making a slight hollow in the centre.

Bake cake in the centre of the oven for one hour then reduce the temperature to 150 deg C, 300 deg F, Gas Mark 2 and contine baking until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean (approx further one and a half hours)
(Note) care must be taken not to overcook this cake as melted chocolate on the skewer can give the impression that the cake is not cooked.

When cooked, remove from the oven and leave in the tin until completely cold. Remove the lining paper and “feed” the cake (See No 9 in Basic Rules). A mixture of 2 tablespoons Dark Rum and 1 Tablespoon of Sherry works best with this cake.

Wrap in greaseproof paper and place in a sealed container. This cake is best left for at least four weeks before decorating/eating, but the wait is definately worthwhile.

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This recipe was given to me by my Grandmother many years ago. It is quick and easy to make and produces a delicious cake which is lovely and moist after only 1-2 days, making it an ideal cake for last minute baking for Christmas, a birthday or just simply as an every day treat.

If the cake is to be eaten without decoration, sprinkle demerara sugar on the top before baking to give a delicious crunchy topping.

Ingredients

5 fl oz (150 ml) Water
12 oz (360g) Mixed Fruit
1 tbs Golden Syrup
1 tsp Mixed Spice
5 oz (150g) Margarine (for dairy free, see Coconut Oil)
4 oz (120g) Demerara Sugar
2 Eggs (beaten)
8 oz (240g) Self Raising Flour (Sifted)
½ tsp Almond Extract

7″ round cake tin, greased and lined

Method

Sieve Flour and Mixed Spice together and put to one side.

Put Water, Margarine, Mixed Fruit, Golden Syrup and Demerara Sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes and set aside to cool until just warm.

When mixture is cool, add Beaten Eggs and mix thoroughly then fold in the Flour and Spice mix. Finally mix in the Almond Extract.

Pour mixture into prepared tin and cook at:

• 150º C, 300º F or Gas Mark 2 for first half hour, then
• 120º C, 250º F or Gas Mark ½ for a further hour or until cooked

Leave cake in tin until cold, then turn out, wrap in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

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This light, fruity cake is a delicious alternative to the heavier Christmas Cake and is ideal if you do not like either marzipan or icing.

Ingredients

6 oz (175g) Softened butter (a soft margarine can be used if preferred)
6 oz (175g) Light soft brown sugar
half tsp Almond extract
7 oz (200 g) Plain flour
1 level tsp Baking powder
half tsp Mixed spice (optional)
6 oz (175g) Sultanas
6 oz (175g) Currants
2 oz (50g) Chopped cherries
1 oz (25g) Ground almonds
3 Large eggs
Whole blanched almonds (to decorate)

To Make

1. Grease and line an 8″ round cake tin
2. Heat oven to 160 deg C, 325 deg F, Gas mark 3
3. Weigh out all the fruit and mix into the flour and mixed spice (if using)
4. Cream the butter, sugar, ground almonds and almond extract untill light and creamy
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition
6. Gently fold in the flour and fruit mix
7. Put mixture into the tin, spread out and flatten top
8. Wrap newspaper round outside of tin and place in oven
9. Bake for half an hour (when a light crust will have formed) then pull the cake on the oven shelf out (do not remove from the oven) and carefully place the whole blanched almonds in a decorative pattern on the top of the cake
10. Continue baking for approx three quarters of an hour or until a warmed skewar comes out clean
11. Leave in tin until cold
12. Remove from tin and feed if liked (one tablespoon brandy mixed with one tablespoon of whisky is nice)
13. Wrap in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight container

Small 4″ Dundee cakes can be baked at the same time and make ideal gifts.

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Ingredients (to make an 8″Round or 7″ Square Cake)

10 oz (275 g) Currants
6 oz (175 g) Sultanas
3 oz (75 g) Raisins
3 oz (75 g) Glace Cherries quartered
3 oz (75 g) Mixed cut peel
3 oz (75 g) Flaked almonds
Grated rind of one lemon
2 tbls Milk
7 oz (200 g) Plain flour
1.5 tsps Ground mixed spice
2 oz (50 g) Ground almonds
6 oz (175 g) Dark soft brown sugar
6 oz (175 g) Softened butter
1 tbsp Black treacle
4 Eggs
Prepared cake tin

Method

Set oven to 160 deg C, 325 deg F or Gas mark 3

Weigh out all the ingredients. Stir mixed spice into flour and then stir in all the fruit until it is well coated.

Mix butter, sugar, treacle and ground almonds together until soft and the mixture has become lighter. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Fold in the flour, fruit and lemon rind, a little at a time, stirring just enough to ensure it is all evenly mixed. After half of the flour/fruit mix has been added, stir in one tablespoon of the milk. Add the second tablespoon at the end if the mixture seems too stiff. It should not be sloppy but stiff enough to fall off the spoon in large lumps.

Spoon mixture into the prepared tin and spread out to make a fairly flat surface. Tie the newspaper round the outside and place in the centre of the oven.

Cook for approx one hour (checking and adjusting temperature if cakes begins to rise) then reduce to 150 deg C, 300 deg F, Gas mark 2 until the skewer comes out clean (approx half to three quarters of an hour).

Leave to cool in the newspaper for an hour, remove newspaper and leave in tin overnight before removing, “feeding” and storing.

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