Revamping a favourite cake
Apart from those treats that define our family histories, our memories and our heritage— and those that would get us in trouble with our loved ones if we dared to change them—recipes are meant to evolve.
Together we’ve tried a lot of new dishes, you and I, some of which became instant traditions that get trotted out every holiday, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. Others faded away because our tastes changed or maybe we just prefer to buy different ingredients. I can’t remember a holiday in our family home years ago that didn’t include a stack of Good Luck Margarine boxes in the fridge. These days there are few festive recipes that don’t call for butter as the better choice. I feel compelled to point out, however, that no one ever turned down my mother’s margarine-based cookies.
Today I’d like to revisit a success story that is even more delicious with the products available now.
Fresh Ginger Fruitcake
This recipe is about 10 years old but from the first try I knew I’d be making it again and again. The ah-ha moment was using fresh grated gingerroot. I started with a modest tablespoon in the original recipe I shared with you; this version uses a full quarter cup. Until then I had assumed ground ginger went in fruitcakes. Then I added preserved ginger in syrup. Wow.
The original called for citron and currants but I prefer now to use golden raisins and mixed peel because of their softer textures. They also complement rather than compete with the ginger. You can mix and match the fruit but don’t mess with the ginger.
If you can’t find ginger in syrup try the bulk food store or section of your grocery. You can substitute candied stem ginger in a jar if you come across it in an import section somewhere. What won’t work is candied ginger. In a pinch you can chop it finely and simmer in a little apple juice but that won’t yield any ginger syrup. A satisfactory substitute for that is ginger jam. As a last resort use all molasses. Likewise, if there isn’t enough goo with the ginger increase the molasses to make up the quarter cup.
I thought using both pastry and all-purpose flour was essential, but I was wrong. I wasn’t wrong about the tawny port, though. You can substitute apple juice or another sweet wine but the port yields a superior result.
Cardamom was a nice addition to the spices but when I didn’t have any and bumped up the nutmeg I actually liked it better. I also ditched the almond extract—one too many flavours, I think.
So those are the upgrades and this great cake is worth every bit of the time, cost and effort. You know what hasn’t changed, though? Exceptional flavor, creamy texture and that wow factor you crave at holiday feasts.
1 cup mixed peel 1 cup golden raisins
1 cup ginger in syrup, finely chopped
1/2 cup tawny port wine
2 tbsp. ginger syrup (Scoop it out of the bottom of the candied ginger container but don’t get caught.)
2 tbsp. molasses
1-1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg, preferably freshly ground
½ tsp. salt (less if using salted butter or margarine)
¼ tsp. each baking soda and baking powder
½ cup ground almonds ¾ cup soft unsalted butter
2/3 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
4 eggs at room temperature ¼ cup finely grated fresh gingerroot 2 tsp. vanilla
Combine fruit in a large bowl. Bring port, ginger syrup and molasses to a boil and pour over fruit. Stir, cover, and allow to soak at room temperature at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. The fruit should absorb most of the liquid, but the mixture will be juicy.
Before you start the cake, butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the paper liberally. Wrap the outside of the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil. Set aside.
Sift together 1-1/2 cups of the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk in ground almonds and set aside.
Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3 or 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in grated gingerroot and vanilla. Add dry ingredients all at once and stir, don’t beat, until well combined and there are no flour streaks.
Toss soaked fruit with remaining 2 tbsp. flour. The flour doesn’t coat the fruit and separate it as in most fruitcake recipes. Rather it creates a paste with the syrup that makes it combine better with the batter. Fold into batter. Don’t overwork it but make sure the fruit is evenly distributed. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours. Start checking at 1-1/2 hours but the baking time will vary depending on how much moisture the fruit absorbed so be prepared to remove the cake early or leave it in longer. A tester in the middle will come out clean when it is done, the top will be dry, and the sides will just start to come away from the pan.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Run a thin knife around the edge then remove from pan and peel off the parchment paper.
Wrap tightly in plastic followed by a double layer of foil This fabulous cake will keep a couple of weeks in the refrigerator and three months or so in the freezer.