Fairtrade Fruit Cake - American version
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This meme is mutating across the globe. You only need a little even in America.
But you do need a huge cake tin preferably with a removable bottom. it makes getting the cake out so much less fun.
Ingredients
Method
Prepare
Mix the fruits together in a bowl together with the brandy.
Turn the fruit 3 or 4 times per hour for a couple of hours or so.
Pre-heat the oven to 150 deg C.
Grease and line a cake tin with brown paper.
In a large bowl mix together the spices, flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to distribute the spices.
In yet another bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Add the brown sugar, orange juice, treacle and butter, and mix until all of the sugar dissolves.
Drain (and reserve) any excess liquid off the fruits, and add the fruit and nuts to the dry ingredients. Mix until all of the fruit is coated.
Cook
Then add the liquids until the batter is evenly mixed.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake at gas mark 2 (150 °C; 300 °F) for 1 hour.
Then cover with foil or paper and bake for a second hour.
Check with a needle (should go in the middle and come out clean.
Cool for 30 minutes.
The hard part
Do not consume for four (4) weeks. Eeeek.
Wrap the cake in baking foil and keep it in the fridge.
Twice a week sprinkle a few drops of brandy on the cake
To serve
When you can no longer resist the temptation, or when the family visit, or for the party:
Warm a little honey.
Coat some pecan nuts with the honey, and coat the top of the cake to make it shiny.
Arrange the pecans decoratively on the cake top.
Dress with a frilly edge all the way round, and take a photo.
Variation
Substitue Fairtrade dried mango and pineapple pieces, soaked on orange juice, for the figs.