Porter cake
This rich, spiced fruit cake used to be offered to callers in most houses in Ireland - rich, delicate and perfect with a pot of tea
SERVES
20
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
20
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
70
MINUTES
Ingredients
450g white flour
225g butter
225g brown sugar
3 eggs
½ tsp bread soda
2 tsp mixed spice
300ml stout
225g sultanas
225g raisins
110g cherries, halved
110g mixed peel
rind of 1 orange
Equipment:
23cm round tin
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Melt the butter, sugar and stout in a saucepan. Add the orange rind and all the fruit, except the cherries. Bring the mixture to the boil and boil for 3-4 minutes stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool until it is lukewarm. Sieve the flour, bread soda and spice into a mixing bowl. Add fruit to the flour and add the cherries.
Beat the eggs, add gradually, mixing evenly through the mixture. Cook at 180°C on the middle shelf for 1 hour 10 minutes approx, or until a skewer comes out clean.
