This fruit and nut cake really lives up to its name "Special Fruit and Nut Cake". Packed with delicious pieces of candied pineapple, ginger, mixed peel, glacé cherries and apricots, along with chopped and whole nuts, this fruit cake tastes amazing. Topped with fruit and nut glazed in a sugar syrup it looks stunning too.
Most years I make a rich fruit cake for Christmas. When time permits I decorate it, here's the one I made last year. Even though it always gets eaten despite the fact that neither of my boys particularly like rich fruit cake, I wanted to do something different this year.
After giving it some thought, I decided to make a lighter cake that's just as tasty. I had some really yummy candied pineapple leftover from a previous job which I didn't want it to go to waste which was the inspiration for this cake.
Adding some other soft dried and candied fruit and I had the start of a really scrummy cake. A generous quantity of nuts added to the mix and I had what I set out to achieve: a special fruit and nut cake good enough to replace my usual Christmas cake.
Hints Tips and Variations
- Line the cake tin
- I used candied pineapple which is readily available in specialist food shops on line. They are a little pricy but this is a cake for special occasions so I think it is worth pushing the boat out. If you can not get it you could substitute dried pineapple pieces instead.
- Try to buy whole candied peel and chop it yourself. The flavour and texture is far superior to the tubs of chopped mixed peel. Most larger supermarkets sell tubs of whole pieces of peel at this time of the year. Since it tends to be harder to find during the rest of the year, I stock up so I have enough to last me until next year.
- You can use chopped stem ginger in place of the candied ginger.
- I have used my stand mixer because of the larger quantity in this cake but a hand held electric whisk works just as well.
Step by Step Special Fruit and Nut Cake
Cut the fruit into small pieces, chop the Brazil and pecan nuts. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and fruit juice. Add the prepared nuts. Add the fruit and fold in. Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 2 hours until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup, Add the fruit and allow to cool. Arrange on top of the cake and serve.
Special Fruit and Nut cake
Ingredients
- 200 g candied pineapple cut into small chunks (7oz)
- 200 g no-soak dried apricots chopped (7oz)
- 100 g glacé cherries halved (3½oz)
- 100 g candied peel chopped (3½oz)
- 50 g glacé ginger chopped (2oz)
- 50 g pecan nuts coarsely chopped (2oz)
- 50 g brazil nuts coarsely chopped (2oz)
- 50 g pistachio nuts (2oz)
- 250 g light muscovado sugar (9oz/ 1 ⅛ cups)
- 250 g butter softened (9oz)
- 4 eggs
- 280 g plain flour (10oz/2¼ cups)
- 80 g ground almonds (3oz/¾ cup)
- 100 ml tropical fruit or pineapple juice (4 floz/~½cup)
to decorate
- 125 g golden caster sugar (4oz/⅔ cup)
- 1 teaspoon golden syrup
- 100 ml water (4 floz/~½cup)
- 4 –5 glacé pineapple rings
- 6 –8 no-soak dried apricots
- 6 –8 glacé cherries
- few strips of candied peel
- 6 –10 Brazil nuts
- 6 –10 pecan nuts
- a few pistachios
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit and nuts as above. Preheat the oven to 150℃ /130℃ fan/ gas mark 2. Grease and line a 20cm deep round cake tin.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add a little of the flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
- Fold in the flour, ground almonds and fruit juice. Then Finally fold in the fruit and nut.
- Pile the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours until golden and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, place the caster sugar, syrup and water in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and continue to boil for a few minutes until syrupy.
- Remove from the heat and add the fruit for decorating. Leave to soak while the cake cooks and cools.
- When the cake is cooked, allow to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake has cooled, brush the top of the cake with some of the syrup and arrange the fruit on top of the cake.
Sue says
Hi, I think a 6 inch version of this cake, undecorated, would make a good top tier for a wedding cake I have been asked to make. What do you think? Would it be suitable for cutting into thin slices without crumbling once covered with marzipan and icing? presumably I could store it for a month or so before decorating? Many thanks
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I think it would make a delicious top tier for a wedding cake. It will not keep as long as a rich fruit cake but 4 to 6 weeks should be fine if you store in a cool dry place. Good luck with the wedding cake.
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Oh wow, this looks scrummy jacqueline and makes a lovely change to the regular rich ones coated in marzipan & icing. Defo pinning 🙂
Angela x
Jacqueline Bellefonatine says
Thank you. It's still pretty rich in flavour, but very delicous and does make a change from the traditional dark cake. We have eaten it already and will definitely be making it again at Christmas.
Jenny Paulin says
ooooh Jacqueline this looks so good! All those colours, flavours and textures in one cake , i think this would make a wonderful alternative to the more traditional fruit cake at Christmas too. adding candid pineapple is a nice touch to add some uniqueness.
thank you for linking to #BakeoftheWeek x
Jacqueline Bellefonatine says
Thank you Jenny. IT does make a lovely alternative. I can see this become a regular in our house at Christmas time.
Anca says
Looks delicious. I love fruit cake and I can't wait to make it for Christmas. I like the idea of candied fruits on top, it looks modern.
Jacqueline Bellefonatine says
Thank you. It proved so popular it's all been eaten already so I will be making it again for Christmas. I hope your family love it as much.