Dundee_Cake1

Recipe of the month :
March 2007

Dundee Cake

This is the most important cake of the Scottish tea table and is served at celebrations. It is distinguishable from other fruit cakes by its almond-strewn top.

Ingredients :

4 oz cleaned sultanas (1/2 cup) - 4 oz cleaned currants (1/2 cup)
4 oz cleaned and stoned raisins (1/2 cup) - 2 oz mixed peel, chopped (1/4 cup)
3 oz glacé cherries, chopped (6 tablespoons) - 2 oz ground almonds (scant ½ cup)
9 oz plain flour (2 ¼ cup) - 8 oz butter (1 cup) - 1 level teaspoon baking powder
8 oz caster sugar (1 cup) - 3 standard eggs (size 3) - 1 tablespoon sherry or milk
1 oz almonds blanched and halved (3 tablespoons) - grated rind of 1 lemon
a 7-inch cake tin

Recipe :

Grease and line the base and sides of the tin and grease the paper lining.

Mix the sultanas, currants, raisins, peel, cherries and ground almonds together.

Beat the butter until it is soft and creamy then add the caster sugar and beat the mixture with the lemon rind until light and fluffy in both colour and texture. Beat the eggs together then add them gradually to the creamed mixture, beating well between each addition. Sift together the flour and baking powder and lightly stir it into the creamed mixture with the milk or sherry and all the dried fruit.

Turn the mixture into the tin, spread it to the sides and slightly hollow out the centre, then cover the surface with the almonds.

Bake the cake at Gas 3/325°F/160°C for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until a warm skewer pushed into the mixture comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the tin for 15 minutes then turn it out onto a wire tray to cool completely.

Revised: maart 11, 2007