Guinness Fruit Cake

The weather here on Skye has taken a turn for the better so after weeks of rain it’s time to get outside. We decided Saturday would be some gardening

and Sunday a hike. These plans meant I needed to bake a robust cake that would survive a trip in a rucksack, wrapped in tinfoil. It calls for a Guinness Fruit Cake, any stout, or very dark ale will do but we always have Guinness in the fridge.

If like me you aren’t a beer drinker fear not you will still enjoy this Guinness Fruit Cake. You taste the richness of the stout rather than the hoppy beer flavour!

Guinness Fruit Cake

Ingredients

175g butter
450g mixed dried fruit (I used a mix of currants and sultanas this time)
zest and juice of a large orange
175g of light brown sugar and some extra for sprinkling on the top of the cake
200ml Guinness or other dark ale/stout
3 eggs, beaten
300g plain flour
3 tablespoons of marmalade
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

Preheat the oven to 150c fan and grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.

In a large deep saucepan put the butter, sugar, Guinness, zest and juice of an orange, marmalade and the dried fruit.
On the hob slowly bring to the boil and stir until all the butter has melted. Bring to the boil and then simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Next stir in the Bicarbonate of Soda, the mixture will froth up as you stir it.
Add the beaten eggs and keep stirring until they are well mixed in.
Finally sift in the plain flour and mixed spice and stir until everything is combined together.

Pour into your prepared cake tin and sprinkle the top with some light brown sugar.
Bake for 70-90 minutes. Once cooked removed from the oven and leave in the tin to cool for 15-20 minutes. Then remove from tin and leave on a wire rack to cool fully.

If you can resist cutting a slice leave it a couple of days to mature and moisten.
It will keep very well for a week in an airtight container, and serves 10-12 slices.

You can enjoy your Guinness Fruit Cake at home with a cuppa or like we did take it to the summit and eat it as a reward!