This fruit cake from royal baker Fiona Cairns – who made the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding fruit cake – is a great one to make for Christmas. You can start it now, and let it sit and become extra-delicious in the months leading up to December. If you can’t wait that long, skip the festive decorations and you can tuck into the cake in a few weeks time.
Nutrition Facts
Fig, port and star anise cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 408
Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 61mg20%
Sodium 119mg5%
Potassium 569mg16%
Carbohydrates 59g20%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 41g46%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 474IU9%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 88mg9%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Fig, port and star anise cake
This delicious fruit cake is a great one to make ahead of time for Christmas or you could skip the festive decorations and tuck into it sooner.
Servings: 25
Calories: 408kcal
Equipment
- Paintbrush
- Ribbons
- Pan
- 23cm square 7.5 deep tin
- Baking parchment
- Baking tray
- Food mixer
- Cooling rack
- Skewer
Ingredients
- 140 ml port plus 2-3 tbsp to feed the cake
- 3 star anise
- 500 g dried figs roughly chopped
- 300 g dates roughly chopped
- 300 g prunes roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp treacle
- 1 organic orange zest finely grated
- 1 unwaxed lemon zest finely grated
- 1 tbsp mixed spice
- 0.5 tbsp nutmeg nutmeg
- 250 g unsalted butter really soft, plus more for the tin
- 200 g pecan nuts
- 100 g hazelnuts
- 160 g dark muscovado sugar
- 6 eggs lightly beaten
- 170 g self-raising flour sifted
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp apricot jam to decorate
- 2 brandy brandy to decorate
- 9 dried figs to decorate
- 22 dates to decorate
- 20 prunes to decorate
- 22 pecans to decorate
- 5 star anise to decorate
- 1 egg white to decorate
- 1 pot gold edible glitter to decorate
Method
- The day before making the cake, pour the port into a pan with the star anise. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and leave for a good few hours to infuse. Place the figs, dates and prunes in a large bowl with the treacle, zests, mixed spice, nutmeg and port (removing the star anise). Stir, cover and leave overnight.
- The next day, butter and line the sides and base of a 23cm square, 7.5cm deep tin (do not use a loose-based tin) with baking parchment. Wrap brown paper round the tin and tie with string. Preheat the oven to 150°C/fan 130°C/300°F/gas mark 2. Put the nuts on a baking tray and cook for 10 minutes, until toasted. Cool and chop. Place a tray of hot water (large enough to hold the cake tin) in the oven.
- In a food mixer, beat the butter and sugar for at least five minutes, until pale and creamy. Mix in the eggs slowly, adding 1 tbsp of flour to stop the mixture curdling. Using a large spoon, fold in the remaining flour, the salt, the fruits and their liquid, and the nuts. Fold together and tip into the tin.
- Place in the water-filled tray and bake for 2 to 2 and a half hours, or until a skewer comes out almost clean with a couple of crumbs on it. If the top is browning before it is cooked, protect with foil. Cool in the tin, on a wire rack. When cold, prick all over with a skewer and sprinkle over the extra port. Wrap in baking parchment and then in foil, and leave for at least a few weeks.
- A week before Christmas, bring the jam and brandy to the boil, push through a sieve and brush most of it over the cake. Decorate with dried fruits and nuts, glazing with more jam. Paint the star anise with egg white and glitter, and add (they are not for eating). Wrap the sides of the cake with baking parchment or clear film to stop it drying out. Finish with a ribbon or lengths of raffia.
Nutrition
Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 569mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 474IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg
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