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Dundee Cake Recipe

A famous traditional Scottish fruitcake with cherries, sultanas and almonds, and a sweet glaze
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 373 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g blanched almonds
  • 180 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 180 g light muscovado sugar
  • 1 pic large orange
  • 3 tbsp  apricot jam or marmalade
  • 225 g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 pic large eggs, beaten
  • 100 g ground almonds
  • 2  tbsp  milk
  • 500 g mixed dried fruit
  • 100 g whole glacé cherry

Glaze

  • 1 tbsp  milk
  • 2 tsp  caster sugar

Instructions
 

  • Begin by placing the almonds in a small bowl, pouring boiling water over them until they are just covered. Let them soak for 5 minutes, then drain them in a sieve and let them dry.
  • Next, preheat your oven to 180C/160 C fan/Gas Mark 4 and prepare a deep, loose-based 20cm cake tin by lining it with baking parchment.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter until it is soft and then add the sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the zest of an orange and some apricot jam.
  • Sift together some flour and baking powder. Gradually add eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, beating well between each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, stir in a small amount of flour.
  • Afterward, mix in the remaining flour and ground almonds, stirring well. Add some milk and then gently mix in some dried fruit and cherries.
  • Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level it using the back of a spoon. Create neat circles by arranging the whole almonds closely together on top of the cake. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  • After 45 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 160C/140 C fan/Gas Mark 3 and cook the cake for an additional 60-80 minutes. Check the cake after 50 minutes by inserting a wooden or metal skewer into the cake. When the cake is done, it should have only a few crumbs attached. Check the cake every 10 minutes to ensure that you don't overcook it and that the center will be slightly soft.
  • Once the cake is cooked, remove it briefly from the oven and put some milk and sugar in a small pan. Heat the mixture gently until the sugar dissolves, and then brush it over the top of the cake. Return the cake to the oven for 2-3 minutes before removing it and allowing it to cool in the tin. When the cake is completely cold, remove it from the tin and wrap it in foil, letting it rest for at least 2 days before cutting.

Notes

Nutrition Information:
  • fat 17.2g
  • saturates 6.7g
  • carbs 48.4g
  • sugars 38.6g
  • fibre 2.2g
  • protein 6.3g
  • salt 0.2g
Keyword Dundee Cake