Salwaa’s Rich Fruit Cake

Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith

From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!

Today I’m sharing with you one of my late mommy’s favourite cakes. The making of this cake was reserved for Eid and other special occasions. Although we didn’t and still don’t celebrate Christmas my mom would always bake cakes and share with our neighbours.

We grew up in an area where multi-faith people lived. Everyone respected each other’s religion. At Eid some of our non-Muslim neighbours reciprocated with their home bakes. Naturally they would only send gifts suitable for Muslim consumption.

For an extra rich fruit cake buy fruit cake mixture that has cherries and nuts included. You may add extra almond slivers. During my younger days I didn’t like cake that had cherries as an ingredient. But strangely now that I’m older I’ve acquired a taste for cherries. I have made a double batch of the recipe below to show you different ways of presenting your fruit cake.

I would have loved to bake a cake for each and everyone of my followers but the very least I could do is share my mom’s recipe. Who knows, maybe you could start your own tradition, make an extra cake and share it with your neighbours?

Happy holidays!

Here follows my step-by-step method. The full recipe is further along.

Using a large pot add 250g butter or margarine, 1 cup soft dark brown sugar, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1 dessert spoon instant coffee, 3 cups water, 500g luxury fruit cake mixture.

Bring to the boil, simmer over medium until all the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 5-10 minutes. Stir gently.

Allow to cool completely.

Whisk eggs in a separate bowl.

Add the flour and baking powder as well as the boiled fruit mixture.

Stir with wooden spoon, mix well until all the ingredients are combined.

Pour into the prepared cake tin/s. As I’ve doubled the recipe i made some in a loaf tin, some in mini loafs and one in a bundt tin.

Bake on the centre shelf. To test if the cake is baked insert a toothpick / cake tester in the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean the cake is done.

FAN OVEN: 130°C for 2 hours

CONV OVEN: 150°C for 2 hours

You can now visit our online store to purchase your copy of my Cape Malay & Other Delights Cookbook as well as my range of spices.

https://cape-malay-delights.myshopify.com/collections/all

Salwaa’s Rich Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

250g butter or margarine

1 cup soft dark brown sugar

2 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 dessert spoon instant coffee

3 cups water

500g luxury fruit cake mixture

4 large eggs

4 cups self raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

Grease and line a 20cm deep cake tin with grease proof / parchment paper.

You may also wrap a double layer of brown paper, tied with string, around the outside of the tins.

Alternatively, use two small loaf tins or mini loaf tins, perfect for gifting.

Place all ingredients except flour, baking powder and eggs into a large pot.

Bring to the boil, simmer over medium until all the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.

Allow to cool completely.

Whisk eggs in a separate bowl.

Add the flour and baking powder as well as the boiled fruit mixture.

Stir with wooden spoon, mix well until all the ingredients are combined.

Pour into the prepared cake tin/s.

Bake on the centre shelf

FAN OVEN: 130°C for 2 hours

CONV OVEN: 150°C for 2 hours

When cooked, leave for 30 minutes before turning out

©Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights