Rum Cake Recipe
Ingredients
115g raisins
115g pitted prunes
55g sultanas
55g currants
300ml dark rum
225ml port
115g butter or margarine
115g demerara sugar
3 eggs, beaten
140g plain flour, sifted
half tsp baking powder
half tsp mixed spice
For the syrup:
55g demerara sugar
For the rum butter:
225g butter
450g granulated sugar
125ml dark rum
A greased, lined 20cm/ 8 in cake tin
Heat the oven to 150 deg C, 300 deg F, Gas Mark 2
Put all the dried fruit in a saucepan. Pour over the rum and port, and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes before removing from the heat and allowing to cool and soak for several hours, preferably overnight. After soaking place the fruit and the alcohol into a food processor and pulse the mixture once or twice to make a coarse puree.
Pour the sugar into a small saucepan with enough water to just cover it. Gently heat and bring to the boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer until the syrup caramelises, turning golden brown in colour. Put to one side.
Cream together the butter and Demerara sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the beaten eggs one at a time, while gently beating. Fold in the flour, baking powder and mixed spice. Add the processed fruit mixture and the syrup.
Transfer the mixture into a greased, lined 20cm/ 8 in cake tin and bake in the oven for about 1 hour.
Check the cake after 45 minutes. If the top of the cake is getting too brown, reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/Gas Mark 1. The cake is ready when a skewer or stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack when cooked.
Meanwhile, make the rum butter by creaming together the butter with the sugar then gradually mix in the rum. Cover and chill until firm.
When cool, serve the cake with scoops of rum butter.
