and made a fruit cake!!!
i never really wanted to offer fruit cake because i had a massive fear of not being able to cook a decent one. but i got an order and she wanted fruit cake, a friend had given me a recipe a while ago but i had forgot all about it, she was given the recipe by an old lady, it uses tawny port to soak the fruit....
so the other day i decided i need to make this, and let the bride to be try it before the wedding. i must admit it wasn't as hard or scary as i thought it would be so here it is....
would you eat this......lol
its really moist and full of fruit i got the 7" round below and a 8" round out of one mix, i have practically eaten the 8" all myself......lol.
kylie
Kylie,
The cake looks yummy and very high. How high was it?
I don't suppose you would care to share the recipe. I have a bottle of Tawny Port sitting in my pantry waiting to be of some use. If you can share, please PM me.
FYI, fruit cake is really yummy with double or clotted cream. In case you decide to start eating the 7" cake. LOL!!
Barbara
That looks yummy to me!
One day I will have to travel somewhere, where they're made from scratch, months in advance, and allowed to age like a fine wine.
Oh, to dream!
Theresa 
thanks Barb, the cake came out about 3" high as i filled it to the top of the tin....
i have PM'ed you and zuya15 the recipe..
kylie
But may I ask what is Tawny port?
Hi Pootchi
i will post the recipe here, to save me PM'ing any one who wants to try it. as for what tawny port is, i am not real sure myself. i think it is just a type of port wine. i am pretty sure any type of port would be ok to use...
this is the recipe, its also an australian recipe in our measurements....
8 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 cups of tawny port
1.5 kg of mixed fruit
1 packet of shivered almonds
1 tablespoon of vanilla essence
1 tablespoon of lemon essence
1 teaspoon of almond essence
2 1/2 cups of plain flour
2 cups of castor sugar
500grams of butter
mix fruit and almonds add essences and port, stir and leave for at least 24 hours but you can soak them for up to five days.
Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs. Add flour and fruit alternately. i lined my tins with two layer of baking paper around the sides and bottom then wrapped four layer's of newspaper around the tin and tied it with string. i also lined a baking tray with ten sheets of news paper folded over. here is a link to preparing a tin that i found online this allows the cake to cook slow and hopefully not burn.... http://www.taste.com.au/how+to.....fruit+cake
Cook in a slow oven on 130 degree's celcius for 4 hours...
i filled the 7" tin to the top and the cake came out at 3" high, the 8" was left over batter and it filled to just over half and came out at about 2"
high...
cheers
kylie
OK maybe this is a stupid question but do people really ask for fruitcakes a lot? I have never had nor do I ever see it around anywhere (except maybe at Christmas time). Is it something that is usually requested for weddings because of the tradition? I just see a lot of recipes for it and a lot of people on CC making it but its something Ive never actually been introduced to.
Just curious - does ANYONE in the US actually eat fruitcake? LOL!
I don't know anyone that would touch it - now that's not to say that if they did they wouldn't actually like it 
I think, based on the comments everytime fruit cake is mentioned, that the ones you get in the US are really dry and deos not taste good. I suppose if you ate that it would put you off fruit cake. However, a home made one is waaaaayyyyy better. It is moist and very delicious.
Fruit cake is still quite popular in Australia. Granted you probably would not order one from a store for a birthday cake but I think lots of people still make it at home for celebrations and Christmas. A well made fruit cake can be kept and matured and taste beautiful months later.
Once you have eaten a well made fruit cake, you will know why we like it.
We use all sorts of alcholic in our fruit cakes but mainly brandy and sherry but if there is none around anything we have goes in. The lastes cake we are making for April will be cooked this weekend so it has time to mature it has port in it. I made the tope tier of my nephews wedding cake and took it to America for the wedding. It was supposed to be for him. The whole cake was cut up including the fruit cake on the top and it was more of a hit than the rest of the cake much to the brides disgust it included fondant which was also a no no for her but her family loved it. Personally I hate fruit cake but everyone else seem to like it.
Hope this isn't a silly question, but what kind of fruit do you use.....fresh, dried?
Julie
Hi Julie
no its not a silly question, i used a mixed fruit in a packet which has sultanas, currents, raisens. cherries, and some orange and lemon peel. this is available to buy at supermarkets.
cheers
kylie
Not meaning to hijack this thread, but I've just finished making a 12" square fruitcake, and the recipe called for it to be baked for 5-ish hours. The top was burnt to a crisp after 2.5 hrs. It is cooked on the inside - can I cut the top off and still use it?
if its cooked on the inside then i would just cut off the burnt part and flip it over.
kylie
I always look forward to my mom's fruitcake at Christmas....Its nice dark and very moist ...I recall it was wrapped in cheesecloth that was soaked in rum .....But on my request no citrus peel/rind and it's perfect....very tasty with a simple almond icing...mmmm
thanks for recipe too...
If I have to cook a fruitcake for longer than 3 hours, I usually turn the oven down & cover the top with foil to stop it burning.
I always use port in my cakes & glace fruit, dried fruit,nuts,chocolate,treacle - yummy !
If I could just eat fruitcake all day, I'd be a happy girl ! 
for any one interested in the type of fruit i used here is link to a site in America that sells Australian products...
if you scroll down you will see the packets of fruit. i used the mixed one... but you could add what ever fruit you like...
http://www.simplyoz.com/products/aussie_food/groceries/cooking_supplies/copha
cheers
kylie
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%