Maple and Walnut Fruitcake Recipe

Maple and Walnut Fruitcake Recipe

Fruitcake is not everyone’s cup of tea, but this maple and walnut version might just change your mind. It is rich, fragrant, and beautifully balanced with citrus and warm spice.

Ingredients

• 200g sultanas
• 100g raisins
• 50g currants
• 50g dried apricots
• 50g glacé cherries
• 50g candied peel
• Juice of 4 oranges, 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 1 orange

Icing

• 2 tablespoons Pure Maple Butter
• 1 teaspoon Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 teaspoon orange juice
• Handful of chopped walnuts
• Zest of half an orange

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing the dried fruit. Wash the cherries, pat them dry, and cut into quarters. Cut the apricots into similar sized pieces.
2. Add all the dried fruit to a medium saucepan with the orange juice. Place over a medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes until the fruit is plump. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease a 2 litre fluted tin and dust lightly with flour.
4. Using a mixer, beat the softened butter until pale and creamy. Slowly add the maple syrup, beating continuously.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder.
6. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Gradually add them to the butter and maple mixture, alternating with the dry ingredients.
7. Fold in the cooled fruit, orange zest, and chopped walnuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
8. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the cake feels springy and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the tin.
10. To make the icing, mix all the icing ingredients until thick and smooth. Spoon over the cooled cake and decorate with chopped walnuts and orange zest.