Recipes by Dolapo Grey

Boiled Fruit Cake

This super-moist boiled fruit cake is so rich, flavourful, and has a wonderful taste to it. It’s full of dried fruits, nuts, candied fruits, and is one of the simplest recipes ever! You’ll be making it for many Christmases to come or whenever you feel like it.

INGREDIENTS

  • Pitted dates – 1 cup, chopped
  • Raisins – 1 cup
  • Brown sugar – 1 cup
  • Unsalted butter – 1/3 cup
  • Water – 1 cup
  • Eggs – 2
  • All-purpose flour – 1 & 1/2 cups
  • Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Cinnamon powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Ginger powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Nutmeg – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Almonds – 1/2 cup
  • Cherries – 1 cup
  • Vanilla essence – 2 teaspoons
  • Zest of 1 lemon

PROCEDURE

Step 1

Add the pitted dates and raisins in a saucepan/pot. You can use any combination of dried fruits you like, dried cranberries, plums, etc.

Step 2

Add the brown sugar, unsalted butter and water.

Step 3

Mix to combine and boil for 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 4

Take it off the heat and allow it to cool to lukewarm or until it’s completely cool.

Step 5

Measure the flour into a sizeable bowl. Add the baking powder, salt, cinnamon powder, ginger powder, and nutmeg.

Step 6

Zest the lime. You only want the yellow part and not the white part as that is bitter.

Step 7

Mix to combine and set aside.

Step 8

Roughly chop the almonds. You can use any kind of nut you like. Cashew, pistachio, etc.

If you’re not a fan of nuts, you could leave them out.

Step 9

Chop the cherries and set aside.

Step 10

Grease your pan with some butter and line the bottom with some baking paper. You can line the sides as well.

Step 11

Crack 2 eggs into a bowl and give it a good whisk.

Step 12

Pour the egg into the cooled pot and mix to combine. It is important that the content is not hot, as that would scramble the eggs.

Stir in the vanilla essence.

Step 13

Add the flour and mix to combine.

Step 14

Add the chopped almonds and cherries and mix to combine.

Step 15

Pour the batter into the pan and bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Step 16

Allow the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Take it out and cool on a rack completely.

The cake is best enjoyed from the day after.

WATCH THE VIDEO RECIPE