GUINNESS GINGER FRUIT CAKE

  • 250g butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons treacle
  • Grated rind of 1 orange
  • 300ml warm Guinness
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 cups plain flour
  • 375g mixed dried fruit
  • 125g mixed peel
  • 100g diced glazed ginger
  1. Preheat oven to 170 C. Grease and line a 23cm cake tin or 2 ring tins.
  2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the rind and treacle and beat again until incorporated.
  3. Combine the Guinness with the soda and beat in the eggs. Sift the flour and fold into the creamed butter and sugar alternately with the Guinness mixture, ending with flour.
  4. Stir in the dried fruit and ginger and mix well. Spoon into prepared cake tin. Bake in a slow oven for 1 hour, reduce oven to low then cook for a further 1 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  5. Cover loosely with newspaper and a towel to cool in pan. ( This cake is best stored for at least 1 week before eating to allow the flavours to develop.)