Baileys Fruit Cake

Fruit cake slices on white plate with small reindeer figure.

5 from 1 vote

Baileys Fruit Cake is a fun, festive recipe. Using simple ingredients and a no overnight soak method this cake comes together easily. The rich buttery fruit base gets cooked with the liquids and then we simply to stir to combine before placing into a lined cake tin.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Western

Keyword: bailey's fruit cake

Servings:

Calories: 375kcal

Author: Adrianne

Ingredients

125 grams/1/2 stick butter unsalted
1 cup dried fruit Note 1
2 cups/500ml Baileys Irish Cream
1 cup/250 ml iced coffee flavoured milk Note 2
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups self raising flour sifted
1 cup glace cherries roughly chopped, Note 3
½ cup slivered almonds optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven: preheat the oven to 180°C / 350-375°F / Gas Mark 4-5.
Cake tin: line a 24 cm/9 inch square cake tin with 2 overlapping sheets of baking paper with overhang on each side.
Cook the fruit: place a large saucepan onto the stove top and turn the heat to high. Add in the butter and dried fruit. Next pour in the Baileys, followed by the iced coffee and vanilla extract. Now cook the fruit, stirring regularly as it heats through and the liquids get absorbed. This step is complete when the mixture has a jam like consistently and there is not remaining liquid in the base of the saucepan. It will take 8-10 minutes to do this.
Combine: once the fruit has absorbed all of the liquids transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Then sift in the 2 cups of self raising flour and use a long rubber spatula to stir and combine.
Optional extras: next add the chopped glace cherries and the slivered almonds and gently stir to fold these in.
Transfer: transfer the combined fruit cake batter into the prepared cake tin and then use a rubber spatula to spread across the base of the tin. Once done either use the spatula or a small glass to gently flatten the top of the cake.
Oven bake: place the cake tin into the preheated oven (uncovered for 1st 40 minutes then covered for the rest of the cook time) on the middle shelf. Bake the cake for 1 hour then use oven mitts and remove to test doneness. If the cake still has wet crumbs on a skewer inserted into it, cook for a further 5-10 minutes. Note 5
To serve: allow the cake to fully cool in the tin. Once it has, use the overhanging baking paper and lift it up and out of the pan. Set it on a cutting board and then discard the 2 sheets of paper. Use a sharp knife and slice into portions. Serve warm (heat in microwave for 1-2 minutes) with custard or ice cream.

Video

Notes

Note 1 - Dried fruit: a mixed bag or assortment of your favorites.
Note 2 - Iced coffee: this is store bought coffee flavored milk. It is not a strong coffee rather a sweet milky drink.
Note 3 - Glace cherries: you will find these in a packet in the supermarket aisle where the other dried fruit like pears and apricots are. They will be sold as whole cherries, so we give them a rough chop before adding them to the cake batter.
Note 4 - Slivered almonds: optional, but good as you don't have to chop them as the pieces are small enough already.
Note 5 - Covered baking: I like to cover the cake for the 1st 40 minutes of cook time and then cover it with tin foil for the rest of the bake time. This is so that it doesn't get too browned looking on the surface.

Nutrition