DUNDEE CAKE - A CHRISTMAS TREAT !!!

Hope everyone are having good time in baking Christmas treats.  Yah me too !!!  I still remember the days when my dad buys the rich delicious and moist fruit cake from local bakery for every Christmas which tastes soo soo good.  Those are sweet childhood memories Mmmmmmmmm :) . Here is a Christmas Pudding recipe which I made for the Daring challenge .  This is really time consuming but it is worth waiting.. it comes out so delicious and very very moist.  But if you want a lighter one then here is the recipe for you...."Dundee cake".  A  small brief about the Cake.

Dundee cake is a traditional kind of fruit cake that is made in Scotland. It is often lighter and less dense than other types of fruit cake and has a nice crumbly texture.  It can be served as a dessert or with coffee and tea during the daytime.  One of the key features of this Scottish cake is that it is topped with whole almonds, which are arranged in a circular pattern from the center to the edge. The ingredients that flavor Dundee cake are mostly dried fruits and nuts. Fruits that are commonly used in the recipe are dried currants, raisins or sultanas and dried cherries.  In addition to the almonds that top the cake, ground almonds are also added to the cake batter. Dundee cake also has a citrusy flavor that comes from orange zest and lemon zest that is added to the batter.  Much like a fruit cake, Dundee cake is a traditional Christmas treat.

 

Ingredients :

All purpose flour - 250 gm
Butter - 175gm
Sugar - 100gm
Eggs -3
Orange Marmalade - 100g
Ground almonds - 100g
Mixed dried fruits, fruit peel, cherries - 400 gm ( I used figs, raisins, sultanas ,fruit peels, dried cranberries, glazed cherries etc)
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Blanched Almond - 100 g for the top (Soak the almonds in the warm water for an hr then peel the skin and pat it dry)
Apricot Preserve / Orange Marmalade for glazing the top - 2 tbsp

I used 8 " inch spring form round pan. Butter the bottom and put a circle of parchment paper.  If your using aluminium pan brush the butter on the sides and dust with flour.  

 

Method :

1. Whip the butter and sugar together till creamy .
2. Stir in the orange zest, and 1/3 of flour beat for a while.
3. Add eggs one by one, when everything comes together.
4. Now add the Marmalade followed by ground almonds.
5. Now add the remaining flour and the Baking powder.  Whisk well.
6. Stir in all the fruits and mix well.
7. Preheat the oven to 325° f.
8. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin or spring form tin and smooth the top nicely.
9. Cover the top with foil to create steam for the cake.
10. Bake for 45 minutes.
11. After 45 minutes take the tin out, arrange the blanched almonds as shown in the picture by slightly pushing then on the surface. ( don't be hard)
12. Now reduce the oven temperature to 300°f and bake further to 60 minutes or little more.( may
be another 15 minutes depends on your oven, mine was ready in 60 minutes)
13. Test the  centre of your cake with skewer, as usual it should come clean.
12. Now dilute the 2 tbsp of apricot preserve/ Orange Marmalade with 2 tbsp of water and cook them in gas top. Let it boil well and becomes thick. Switch off and cool it.
13. Brush this glaze on the top of the cake for 2 to 3 coatings in intervals.
14.  Let the cake cool completely for making slices. ( Myself I was not able to wait for long time, because I love fruit cakes and wanted to taste soon after the photo session.  Patience is very
important :(  

Note :

1. The cake tastes so good after 2 or 3 days.
2. Wrap it in the foil, put it in the fridge if you want to store for more days.
3. Bring to room temperature or MW for few seconds when you want to eat.
4. Dundee cake is also sometimes topped with sweetened whipped cream.


Have wonderful Christmas !!!