Irish Farmhouse Boiled Fruit Cake ( the easiest Fruit Cake you will ever make)

Irish Farmhouse Boiled Fruit Cake          



                        

Both the English and Irish halves of me adores this lovely cake. Perfect for St Patrick's day celebrations...especially with a wee glass of Jameson's or a good strong cup of tea. It so reminds me of the family farm in Ireland and the wonderful Sunday afternoon teas we enjoyed.  Always with ham sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, floury potatoes and salad, boiled fruit cake & soda bread and buckets of hot tea.  Such wonderful memories.   

  Gorgeously moist this has to be the quickest and easiest fruit cake you could ever make....it's all prepared in a large saucepan ... yay!!!  Not a bowl in sight so very
limited washing up which is such a bonus. 

 Just use whatever dried fruit you may have or like... I used a mixture of vine fruits from Waitrose, but if you love candied peel then use the regular mixed bags of fruit.   I also added a few glacé cherries left over from Christmas, (you don't have to, just use what you have).  Sprinkle over with chopped nuts... again whatever you have in..mine were almonds.  I brushed over a little apricot jam glaze to pretty it up but you really don't have to do this if you don't feel the need. 


Now, I baked this in a 8" /20 cm square baking tin that I buttered and line with baking parchment.
You could split the mixture between two 2lb loaf tins if preferred. 

You will need a large saucepan

If you prefer to measure rather than weigh your ingredients then here's a detailed 
Conversion Chart


Ingredients :-

250ml / 1 cup  water 
2 tbsp Irish Whiskey (Optional)
900 gms / 6 cups  mixed dried fruits ( see my comments above)
225 gms/ 1 cup soft brown sugar  ( use granulated if that's all you have)
230 gms / 2¼ cups plain (all purpose) flour
170 gms/ 1½ sticks butter
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda ( Baking Soda)
1 heaped tsp mixed spice ( pumpkin spice will do nicely)
2 large beaten eggs
a handful of chopped nuts to top (Optional)
Apricot glaze (Optional)


Method :-

Add the water, Whiskey ( if using) butter, sugar and fruit to a large pan and heat slowly to a simmer stirring regularly, simmer for 10 minutes.
Leave to cool slightly,

Heat the oven to 150C / 300F / Gas 2
   
Sieve together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spices
Add the flour mix and the eggs to the pan and give it a stir ... just to combine everything together... don't beat it.
Pour this into the prepared baking tin.
Smooth over and sprinkle with any nuts if using.
Place into the centre of the pre-heated oven and bake for around 1½ hours but check after 1¼ hours.  Place a skewer into the centre of the cake ..if it comes out clean it's ready.  Leave a little longer if not quite ready.

Remove from the oven , leave in  the tin for around 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

For the glaze if using ..place 2 tbsps of apricot jam and 1 tbsp water into a small pan... slowly bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes... leave to cool slightly then brush over the cooled cake.

This cake can be served on the day but I find it improves greatly if left either wrapped in tin foil or in a sealed container for a couple of days.

Enjoy it and let me know how you get on ♥

I'LL BE SO PLEASED TO HEAR FROM YOU...PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW

Irish Farmhouse Boiled Fruit Cake

Well are you tempted to make this delicious cake?  If you are or especially if you have already please let me know how it went in the Comments below
Cheers me dears ♥