Maple and Walnut Fruitcake Recipe

Fruitcake…not everyone’s cup of tea but oh, this maple and walnut cake might convince you to give it a go!

Ingredients

200g sultanas

100g raisins

50g currants

50g dried apricots

50g glacé cherries

50g candied peel

4 oranges, juiced or 300ml orange juice

200g unsalted butter, softened

200ml Pure Maple Syrup, Dark Robust

4 eggs

225g plain flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

100g walnuts, chopped

grated zest of an orange

Icing

2 tablespoons Pure Maple Butter

1 teaspoon Pure Maple Syrup

1 teaspoon orange juice

handful chopped walnuts

orange zest from half an orange

Instructions

Begin by preparing the dried fruit. Wash the cherries, pat them dry and cut them into quarters. Cut the apricots into a similar size. Mix all the dried fruit into a medium sized sauce pan and add the orange juice. Place over a medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes until the fruit is lovely and plump. Allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease a 2L fluted tin and dust with flour.

Using a mixer, beat the softened butter until pale and creamy. Slowly add the maple syrup, continuously beating the mixture.

Mix all the dry ingredients in another bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and add gradually to the butter and maple syrup mixture, alternating with the sifted dry ingredients.

Next add the fruit, orange zest, chopped walnuts and pour into the prepared tin.

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until it feels springy and a toothpick comes out clean.

Place on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the tin.

To make the icing, mix all the ingredients until you have a thick consistency. Pour over the top of the cooled cake and decorate with some chopped walnuts and orange zest.

Put the kettle on and enjoy!