Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

 Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

UPDATED POST 11-11-2016
I have decided to prepare this fruit cake since I have not prepare one for the last two years. I have half the recipe and I am happy with the cake texture and aroma. The only regret I have is I should have use a bigger cake tin.
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
This easy recipe is for those who are running short of time and do not have a mixer at home. It is a dense fruit cake that resembles the texture of traditional fruit cake. You can also prepare in advance and inject alcohol periodically to let the cake mature just like traditional boiled fruit cake.
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
INTRODUCTION
This is my second post of fruit cake for Christmas 2013. The first post is on ‘TRADITIONAL BOILED FRUIT CAKE” that I have posted on early October 2013. In that post, I have followed strictly the traditional method of preparing the fruit cake but this post, I will share a quick and easy recipe with no prior preparation required.
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
Most bakers will advise to prepare fruit cakes for Christmas as early as possible. Usually, readers will be advised to soak the fruits, bake and let the cake rest for 1-2 months before actual serving during Christmas.
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
However, at times, you may not be able to bake the fruit cake early and you can then consider this quick and easy fruit cake and the outcome is definitely acceptable. 
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
This recipe is my own recipe and without reference to any other fruit cake recipe. It is an easy recipe adapted from the one number baking ratio theory and using “mix and bake” method, meaning hand mixing the dry and wet ingredients. No prior preparation is necessary and extra protection (water bath) is optional. However, if you prefer, you can still soak your fruit earlier at a time convenience to you.
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

WHAT IS REQUIRED
Servings: One 8” x  8 “ cake
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
  • 180 grams of cake flour
  • 100 grams of self raising flour
  • 250 grams of butter
  • 250 grams of soft brown sugar
  • 400 grams of mixed dried fruits (if preferred, soak in rum as early as you can)
  • 30 ml of alcohol (rum or brandy or whisky)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1.5 teaspoons of mixed spice or cinnamon powder+nutmeg powder

 

For Royal Icing

  • 3 egg whites
  • 3 teaspoons of lemon juice
  • 4 cups of icing sugar

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)


STEPS OF PREPARATION

  • Pre-heat the oven to 160 degree Celsius and put a baking tray at the lowest rack with 1 cm of water in it (note that the baking is not done at the lowest rack but at the middle rack)

  • Line the baking tin with baking paper or lightly grease the baking tin.

  • Pour the alcohol into the dried mixed fruits (you can do it after you take your measurements or you can do it as early as you can). For this illustration, I have mixed the alcohol with the fruits immediately after I took my measurements.

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

  • Melt the butter in the microwave (about 1 minute). In a whisking bowl, lightly beat your eggs, add in the cooled melted butter and whisk well.
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
  • In another bowl, sift your self raising flour, baking soda and mixed spice. Add in the brown sugar, mix and make a well in the centre. Pour the cooled butter and egg mixture into the well. Use a spatula to mix well. Add in the mixed fruit and ensure that it is well mixed.
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
  • Transfer to the baking tin. Bake in the oven at middle rack at 160 degree Celsius for the first 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, down the oven temperature to 150 degree Celsius and continue to bake for another 45 minutes to 60 minutes. Use a skewer to insert into the cake CENTRE and ensure that it comes out clean. LET THE CAKE REST FOR AT LEAST 3-4 HOURS BEFORE actual decoration of the cake. I let this cake rest overnight before I decorated the cake.

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

Special Notes

  • As fruit cake is a dense cake, you may have to constantly check the readiness of the cake at the last 10-15 minutes of the baking process. If your skewer comes out unclean after the prescribed baking time, don’t worry, as the baking temperature is rather low, continue your baking until the skewer inserted comes out clean.  Insert the skewer at various positions particularly at the centre to counter ensure the readiness of the cake.

  • If you note that there are slight burnt on the top of the cakes, use something to cover the top of the cake. If you prefer, add about 1 cm tall of water to the baking tray place one rack lower than the baking rack. (e.g if you bake at rack No. 3 from the bottom, place a baking tray with 1 cm of water on rack No.2 from the bottom before your baking starts to conserve moisture of the cake). In this illustration, I have put some water in the baking tray but it is optional.

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)


Preparation Of Royal Icing
Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
  • Beat the egg whites until soft peak. Gradually add in the icing sugar. Add lemon juice after all the icing sugar has been added. If the royal icing is too runny, add in extra icing sugar until you reach the firm/stiff peak or desired consistency. Cover with damp cloth or clingy wrap to prevent icing from drying out.

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)


Decorating The Cake

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)
  • Spread the icing on the entire cake as evenly as possible. Use the flat spatula or knife to work on icing into fluffy peaks all over the cake. LEAVE CAKE FOR 2-3 HOURS to allow the icing to harden. If you preferred, you can add some colour gel to create some visual effect.

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

  • After the icing have hardened, position your desired ornaments on top of the cake. Keep your cake in the refrigerator for about 2-3 weeks.

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)


CONCLUSION

Isn’t this is a very simple fruit cake and I can assure that the taste wouldn’t not be compromised much at all. Putting some royal icing make it have a traditional or noble look and transforming this simple cake into an elegant occasion cake..  Hope you like the post today. Cheers and have a nice day.

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

Hope you like the post today. Cheers and have nice day. Should there be any imperfections in my blog layout, bear with me and I am trying hard to rectify it. In the event that you are a follower of Guaishushu at http://kwgls.wordpress.com, please do follow this new blog Guaishushu1 at https://www.guaishushu1.com.

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)


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Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

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Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

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Simple Mix and Bake Fruit Cake With Royal Icing (简易杂果蛋糕)

  1. Jenny Casteel Unternahrer

    I’ve never had fruit cake but this sure looks tempting!

  2. I’m one of those rare Americans who LOVES fruit cake so I’m going to pin this for later! Thanks for sharing on the DBB!

  3. I’ve never thought of putting icing on a fruit cake! It looks so good! I’ve pinned it. 🙂

  4. Looks great. I iced our cake like that a couple of Christmases back and it went down really well. I shall have to try it again! Thanks for linking up to #recipeoftheweek. I’ve Pinned this and there’s a fresh linky live now. Hope to see you there 😀

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