Easiest Fruit Cake

A community recipe by dextersmummy

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

This is so simple to put together, yet tastes suberb. I use this recipe very sucessfully for my Christmas cakes, when it's marzipanned, iced and decorated people love it!

Ingredients

Serves: Aprox 8-10 slices?

1 handful halved candied cherries
2 teaspoons mixed peel
2 teaspoons chopped mixed nuts
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (for extra richness)
12 ounces dried fruit
4 ounces butter
4 ounces brown sugar
¼ pint water
1 medium beaten egg
8 ounces self-rising flour

Method

Easiest Fruit Cake is a community recipe submitted by dextersmummy and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Put the dried fruit (plus cherries, nuts, peel if you are adding them) butter/marg, sugar and water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil

Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring

Put aside to cool for a few minutes

Add the beaten egg with a spoon

Then add the flour (and cocoa if you are using) gradually and stir it all up well

Put into a greased lined tin and bake at gas mark 2, 300f, 150c on a low shelf for I hour 15 mins

Additional Information

I have used various brown sugars to do this and they all came out well, demerara, soft brown, dark brown etc etc, even used a mix of brown & white when I had to! I add the extra ingredients when I'm making Christmas cakes with this recipe, also a glug of whicky or brandy, but add whatever you fancy! I always double the ingredients and make two at once, it takes no more time and you have one to freeze. It freezes very well.

Tell us what you think

What 12 Others have said

Lovely moist cake, so easy to make plus keeps well wrapped up in cake tin.

Posted by welshcook1948 on 7th April 2019
Just tried this with gluten free flour (self-raising) and it works brilliantly! Also added Disaronno x

Posted by Layley on 9th April 2016
Hello - just in the process of trying your recipe, but did anyone else find their cake didn't rise? Mine has been in the oven 30 of the 90 minutes and I can see it through the glass and it's still flat?? xx Thank you in advance.

Posted by natkay on 18th March 2016
So simple to make, and for those who still like 'old money' 0.3 of a pint is 4.8 fluid ounces.

Posted by tracy1010 on 12th December 2015
I have googled 0.3 pints and the conversion is 141 millilitres. I am going to attempt this recipe today..?

Posted by Dollyclump on 24th October 2015
I have baked this few times. I use a 8" round tin and it is a great size. What confuses me is 0.3 of a pint. What is that is either metric or imperial because there just isn't such a thing as 0.3 of a pint... I just guess but it comes out different every time :)

Posted by POTTYANDCAKE on 26th August 2015
Loved this cake and plan on adapting to use as a Christmas cake, but I am not sure I got the amount of liquid right. What is 0.3pint of water... I worked it out to 6 fl oz .. Is that correct

Posted by Loopylin55 on 2nd August 2015
Also great as a date and walnut cake! So easy to change the cake, just use the same base and change the fruit etc. Thank you!

Posted by CharAdams on 8th April 2015
I changed the liquid to 1 part water, 1 part orange juice & 1 part booze (JD or Brandy) & added spices for extra christmas taste :) found a 10 inch tin for not too deep a cake ideal & 8 inch for slightly deeper :)

Posted by MrsScorbiesCakes on 9th December 2014
So easy and yet so delicious - will be making this over and over - used a 1lb loaf tin by the way...

Posted by Gary.mays on 29th November 2013
Could you add a drop of booze to this great recipe to make it a bit more xmasy, if so when would you add it?

Posted by Rusky on 6th November 2013
any idea what size tin to use ?

Posted by bearcub on 29th October 2013