Hairy Bikers Boiled Fruit Cake Recipe

This old-fashioned boiled fruit cake is super moist and full of flavor. You just boil everything in one pot, mix in the flour and eggs, then bake. It’s the kind of cake that tastes even better after a few days, and it keeps well too.

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 12 ounces candied mixed fruit
• 1 cup milk
• ¾ cup butter
• 5 ounces glace cherries, roughly chopped
• 2 ounces candied mixed citrus peel
• 2 ounces chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 12 ounces of sifted self-rising flour
• 2 large eggs

How To Make Boiled Fruit Cake Recipe?

1. Preheat the oven: set it to 160°C. Line an 8-inch deep cake tin with parchment paper.
2. Boil the fruit mixture: in a medium pan, add sugar, candied fruit, milk, butter, cherries, citrus peel, walnuts, allspice, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes.
3. Mix in the flour and eggs: once the mixture has cooled slightly, stir in the sifted flour and eggs until fully combined and smooth.
4. Prepare the pan: pour the batter into the lined tin. Wrap the outside of the tin with brown paper or newspaper to stop the edges from browning too fast.
5. Bake the cake: place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 150°C and bake for another 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool the cake: let it sit for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment, flip the cake over, and let it cool completely before slicing.

Recipe Tips:

• Let the boiled mixture cool before adding eggs: if it’s too hot, the eggs can cook and scramble. Wait at least 15 minutes before mixing.
• Use good-quality dried fruits and cherries: cheap ones can taste too sweet or artificial, and that affects the whole flavor of the cake.
• Wrap the outside of the cake tin with brown paper or newspaper: this helps the cake bake evenly without burning the edges.
• Check doneness with a skewer: poke the center after baking. If it comes out clean, your cake is done. If it’s sticky, bake a bit longer.
• Don’t slice it right away: let the cake cool completely before cutting. It sets as it cools and gives you clean, neat slices.

How To Store Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: first, let the leftover boiled fruit cake cool down completely at room temperature. Once cool, wrap it in foil and place it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks to keep it fresh and moist.
• Freeze: after the cake cools, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Total Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 65mg
• Sodium: 170mg
• Potassium: 180mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 58g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 38g
• Protein: 5g

Try More Hairy Bikers Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Ginger Cake Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Rhubarb Crumble Recipe

Hairy Bikers Boiled Fruit Cake Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

10

minutes

Calories

410

kcal

This old-fashioned boiled fruit cake is super moist and full of flavor. You just boil everything in one pot, mix in the flour and eggs, then bake. It’s the kind of cake that tastes even better after a few days, and it keeps well too.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 12 ounces candied mixed fruit

• 1 cup milk

• ¾ cup butter

• 5 ounces glace cherries, roughly chopped

• 2 ounces candied mixed citrus peel

• 2 ounces chopped walnuts

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 12 ounces of sifted self-rising flour

• 2 large eggs

Directions

• Preheat the oven: set it to 160°C. Line an 8-inch deep cake tin with parchment paper.
• Boil the fruit mixture: in a medium pan, add sugar, candied fruit, milk, butter, cherries, citrus peel, walnuts, allspice, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes.
• Mix in the flour and eggs: once the mixture has cooled slightly, stir in the sifted flour and eggs until fully combined and smooth.
• Prepare the pan: pour the batter into the lined tin. Wrap the outside of the tin with brown paper or newspaper to stop the edges from browning too fast.
• Bake the cake: place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 150°C and bake for another 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool the cake: let it sit for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment, flip the cake over, and let it cool completely before slicing.

Notes

• Let the boiled mixture cool before adding eggs: if it’s too hot, the eggs can cook and scramble. Wait at least 15 minutes before mixing.
• Use good-quality dried fruits and cherries: cheap ones can taste too sweet or artificial, and that affects the whole flavor of the cake.
• Wrap the outside of the cake tin with brown paper or newspaper: this helps the cake bake evenly without burning the edges.
• Check doneness with a skewer: poke the center after baking. If it comes out clean, your cake is done. If it’s sticky, bake a bit longer.
• Don’t slice it right away: let the cake cool completely before cutting. It sets as it cools and gives you clean, neat slices.