Golden Fruit Cake Print E-mail
Written by Billington's, 2004   
The lighter texture and pale fruits, plus the crunchy caramel topping and soft Cape gooseberries are a refreshing alternative to the traditional rich, dark Christmas cake.

For the cake
175g (6oz) dried apricots, chopped
6 tbsp whisky or brandy
225g (8oz) butter
225g (8oz) light muscovado sugar
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
50g (2oz) ground almonds
4 medium eggs
225g (8oz) plain flour
Pinch of salt
175g (6oz) multi-coloured glacé cherries, chopped
110g (4oz) glacé pineapple, coarsely chopped
110g (4oz) candied peel, coarsely chopped
50g (2oz) candied mango or papaya
110g (4oz) stem or crystallised ginger, finely chopped
110g (4oz) walnuts, roughly chopped

For the icing
2 egg whites
450g (1lb) golden icing sugar, sifted
1-2 tbsp lemon juice

For the decoration
110g (4oz) physalis (Cape gooseberries)
110g (4oz) golden granulated sugar
2 tbsp water

Pre-heat oven to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas Mark 2.

Butter a 23cm (9in) round cake tin and line with a double thickness of buttered greaseproof paper or non-stick baking parchment. Soak the apricots in the whisky or brandy for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Cream the butter and sugar with the lemon and orange rinds until light and fluffy, then stir in the almonds.

Whisk the eggs until pale and thick, then gradually whisk into the creamed mixture until well combined.

Sift the flour and salt into the bowl and gently fold into the main mixture with a metal spoon. Stir in the lemon and orange juices, soaked apricots, the candied fruits, ginger and the walnuts.

Spoon into the prepared tin and make a slight hollow in the centre. Bake just below the centre of the oven for 21⁄2 hours, then cover the cake loosely with foil and reduce the heat to 140ºC/275ºF/Gas Mark 1 and bake for another 11⁄2-2 hours. The cake will be cooked through when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave the cake in the tin to cool, then turn out and wrap in greaseproof paper and tin foil and store in a dry, cool (not cold) place for up to three weeks.

For the icing: whisk the egg whites until frothy and gradually stir in about two-thirds of the golden icing sugar, beating well. Beat in the lemon juice and the rest of the icing sugar until the icing is thick and forms soft peaks. Spoon onto the cold cake and spread roughly into shallow peaks with a palette knife to resemble snow. Leave to set in a cool place.

For the decoration: up to 2 hours before serving the cake, fold back the papery leaves of the physalis to reveal the yellow fruit. Place the golden granulated sugar in a pan with the water and heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. Boil for 2-3 minutes and remove from the heat.

Carefully dip the physalis into the hot caramel and place on a cold surface to set, but don't chill them.

Store the cake in an airtight tin for up to three weeks.

Serves 6-8
 
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