Of Drunken Fruits and Pitted “Skin”

I had made up my mind that I would start my Christmas baking today – by hook or by crook. I had even arranged my schedule to try to ensure I could have an afternoon of leisurely indulgence in the kitchen. Alas! It was not to be… murphy’s law proves itself once more… And so, as it is said: “the best laid plans of mice and men…”

As I prepared to make my fruitcake, so it was that 2 clients and a supplier decided that my life was just a little too stress-free today, and thought they would help “spice it up” a little for me! The hazards of working from home! And the stress definitely came through in my poor fruit cake. I think I unconsciously (or was it consciously ) took my frustration out on the eggs!

I was way too vigorous in wielding the whisk and so the cake baked out with dozens of small “pits” on the surface, from the bubbles baking through to the top! Not a pretty sight at all.

I had also probably “over-dosed” the raisins on the brandy! Yesterday, I had searched around in the liquor cabinet and found a bottle of Courvoisier Cognac. Now, I don’t drink hard liquor at all. So, I’m the last person to know the value or quality of such things. I was just thinking: “oh, cognac… that’s brandy, right?… that’ll work…” And proceeded to pour a good half bottle into the raisins to soak them overnight in preparation for the baking today!! That definitely did not make someone too happy! It was like: “hey, that’s my bottle of Courvoisier Cognac!” Uh-oh… And now I know… cognac is pretty expensive stuff… and by the end of today’s baking, I had used up a good ¾ of a bottle of the cognac on just one (rather unsuccessful, I might add) fruitcake… oops!

The near ½ bottle to soak the raisins together with another ½ cup of cognac that I poured into the batter plus more brushed onto the cake, ensured that the final cake result turned out to be fairly heady stuff! Haha… kids could potentially get drunk on this cake! LoL! Might have to put an age 18 warning on the cake!

The results were not what I was looking for – aesthetically at least. Taste-wise, it was pretty good. Yeah, we decided not to let the cake sit and “feed” it anymore (besides, it was already probably way “over-fed” in the alcohol department), and so we had some for dessert at dinner tonight.

Well, it was my first attempt at this recipe… so I can be forgiven right? But I think the next time I try this again, I’ll have to go get some (cheaper?) brandy.

Here’s the original recipe which my mum got off an aunt, with some notations of my observations.
(don’t ask me why it’s called “boiled fruit cake”, I haven’t a clue)

Favorite Boiled Fruit Cake

500g raisins
brandy
½ c. mixed peel
250g butter
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
½ c. brandy
5 eggs
1 ¾ c. plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1) Rinse the raisins twice with hot water, and drain well. Soak in brandy for one full day and night. Drain well.
[note: I think one day & night is a little too long – probably 4-6 hours would be sufficient]

2) Melt the butter and sugar together on a low heat. Once melted, add the brandy-soaked raisins and the mixed peel. Stir and heat through. Then add the ½ cup of brandy to the butter mixture and allow to simmer for a short while. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

3) Line an 8” square cake pan with two layers of greaseproof paper on the bottom and sides of the cake tin. Spray the lining with cooking spray.

4) In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs.

5) Add the dried fruit and butter mixture to the eggs and mix well.

6) Add the flour and baking soda to the batter and mix well.

7) Pour batter into prepared cake pan and cover with aluminium foil.

8) Bake at 160C for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 150C and bake for another 1 hour. Remove the foil covering, and bake for another 30 minutes (at 150C). Brush the cake with more brandy, and return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.

9) Switch off the oven, and brush more brandy on to the still hot cake. Leave cake in oven to cool.

10) Once completely cool, remove from cake pan and store. It would be best to brush some brandy on the cake once every 3-4 days for 1-2 weeks before eating. Cake will keep for up to 3 months.

Copyright © 2003 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
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