Dundee Cake

A traditional Scottish fruit cake, Dundee Cake is rich with raisins, currants, cherries, almonds, and citrus zest, topped with blanched almonds for its signature look.

Ingredients

• 225 g butter
• 225 g castor sugar
• 3 eggs
• 350 g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 110 g raisins
• 110 g golden raisins
• 110 g currants
• 75 g chopped glacé cherries
• 50 g chopped mixed peel
• 50 g ground almonds
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp cherry essence (or almond essence)
• 3 tbsp blanched almonds (for topping)

Method

1. Grease and line an 18 cm round cake tin.
2. In a bowl, mix together raisins, golden raisins, currants, cherries, mixed peel, and ground almonds.
3. In another bowl, beat the butter until soft. Add sugar and lemon rind, then beat until light and fluffy.
4. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Gradually add them to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
5. Sift the flour with baking powder and fold into the mixture along with the cherry essence and prepared dried fruits.
6. Pour the batter into the cake tin. Make a slight hollow in the center and decorate the top with blanched almonds.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for 2½–3 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serving Suggestion: Enjoy slices of this classic Dundee Cake with tea or coffee, or serve as a festive treat.