English Cake

Preheat the oven to 160°C, ensuring that the temperature is even for perfect baking. We start by finely chopping the dried fruits, whether they are apricots, figs, or pineapple, and marinating them along with raisins in brandy or rum, letting them absorb the flavor of the liquid for a few minutes. This step will add incredible depth of flavor, and the alcohol aroma will evaporate during baking.

In a bowl, we mix the flour with the poppy seed or nutmeg and baking powder, ensuring that all dry ingredients are well combined. This will help achieve a fluffy and airy texture for the cake. Separately, in another bowl, we beat the soft butter with the sugar until it becomes a creamy and light mixture. We add the beaten eggs, one at a time, mixing well each time to ensure they are perfectly incorporated.

We continue by gradually incorporating the flour mixture into the butter and egg mixture, alternating with the molasses and almond powder, which brings a special flavor to the dough. At this stage, we add the marinated fruit mixture, keeping a few cherries for decoration. We cut the remaining cherries in half and add them to the dough, mixing carefully not to ruin the fluffy texture.

From the resulting dough, we keep about 75g, which we will use later. We pour the remaining dough into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and put it in the oven for 45 minutes. In the meantime, we mix the reserved 75g of dough with the set-aside cherries and finely chopped almonds, adding a tablespoon of golden syrup or honey for extra sweetness.

After 45 minutes, we take the cake out of the oven and pour the mixture evenly on top, ensuring it will integrate nicely during baking. We return the pan to the oven, covering it with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning. We let it bake for another 40 minutes. Finally, we remove the aluminum foil and allow the cake to brown on top for a few minutes.

When it's ready, we take the cake out of the oven and place it on a rack to cool completely. It is best to wait until the next day to taste it, when the flavors have intensified and the taste becomes perfect. Enjoy a delicious slice of cake!

 Ingredients: 175g of butter, 175g of sugar, 225g of flour, 4 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon of mace (if you don't have it, replace with nutmeg), 50g of molasses, 50g of almond powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, 50g of candied fruits, 50g of candied cherries, 225g of raisins (optional), 1 tablespoon of brandy or rum, 80g of finely chopped almonds, 1 tablespoon of golden syrup or honey.

 Tags:  eggs unt flour sugar fruits honey cherries christmas and new year's recipes vegetarian recipes