A lovely moist cake that gets even better if left in the cake tin for a few days to mature!
INGREDIENTS to serve 12 slices :-
175 g (6 oz) butter
450 g (1 lb) mixed dried fruit
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
175 g (6 oz) light muscovado sugar
200 ml (7 fl oz) Guinness
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 eggs - beaten
275 g (10 oz) plain flour
2 teaspoon mixed spice
2 tablespoons flaked almonds
2 tablespoons demerara sugar
METHOD :-
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 2 / 300°F / 150°C (130°C for fan oven).
Grease and line the base of a 20 cm (8 inch) round deep cake tin.
Put the butter, dried fruit, orange zest and juice, sugar, and Guinness in a large saucepan.
Bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the butter has dissolved, then simmer for 15 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
The mixture will foam up, but don't worry this is just the bicarbonate doing its thing.
Stir the beaten eggs into the mixture, then sift in the flour and spice, and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the top with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle with flaked almonds and demerara sugar.
Bake for 75 to 90 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out, remove the paper, and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Ideally, return to the tin for a few days to mature.