Dundee Cake – Great Grannie Dukes

(The Late – Sir Winston Churchill loved to have a slice of Dundee Cake everyday for afternoon tea)

This Dundee cake recipe was handed down from my Great Grandmother – Grannie Duke.

Serves 8-10

1½ cups currants

1 cup sultanas

1 cup raisins

¾ cup mixed candied fruit – diced well

1½ cups glace cherries cut into 1/4s

¾ cup good quality brandy

1½ cups butter – room temperature

1 cup sugar – granulated

4 cups of plain flour – triple sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder – sifted with flour

½ teaspoon salt – sifted with flour

1 teaspoon powered cinnamon – sifted with flour

½ teaspoon powered nutmeg – sifted with flour

5 large eggs well beaten

¾ cup blanched almond slivers

Soak candied fruit, glace cherries, currants, sultanas and raisins in the brandy overnight. 

Pre-heat oven to moderate/slow

Grease and line an 8 inch (20cm) cake pan with double greaseproof paper

Drain Fruits ready to add to cake. 

Using a hand held electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until really creamy (about 3-4 minutes).

Add a little of the beaten egg mixture, along with some of the flour mixture and beat well.  Repeat this process until all eggs and flour mixture have been used and the mixture is super smooth and creamy.

Place electric mixer down, and with a wooden spoon or spatula, evenly fold in the drained fruits.

Decant mixture in the middle of the prepared cake pan and spread gently and evenly around the pan.

Evenly distribute the silvered almonds over the top of the cake and VERY gently press into the top of the batter so they hold and can be seen after the cake has been cooked. (PLEASE DO NOT press entirely into the cake mixture as my sister did and then wonder where they went haha!)

Place in middle of the oven – cook for around 1 hour 45 minutes or until cooked.  Use a metal skewer  - if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.

Remove from oven – wait for 15 minutes before decanting onto wire rack.  Do not cut until completely cooled.

Note:  I have tried this with Spelt Flour and it works just as well.

          Grannie Duke and my Gran, used to serve this with home-made Orange Marmalade or Quince Jam, which was always served in a jam dish.

I like to follow in this tradition and lay the table with my best china tea service for “Afternoon High Tea” when I serve this cake.  I serve with what-ever Jam or Marmalade my guest like and find out before hand. 

Oh by the way, this will freeze well (If you have any left).  Just make sure that you completely cover each slice with wrap and it is wrapped tightly.

Enjoy!