#FoodieExtravaganza ~ Irish Spiced Fruitcake

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. This month Laura from Baking in Pyjamas http://bakinginpyjamas.com/ invited bloggers to come up with their favorite Christmas Fruit Cake as December is national Fruit Cake month.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

Baby taste tester helping with cake picture time!

We hope you all enjoy our favorite festive fruit cakes this month and come back to see what we bring for you next month.

• Aussie Boiled Fruitcake by Food Lust People Love
• Brandied Apricot-Ginger Fruitcake by Cherishing a Sweet Life
• Chocolate Fruit Cake by Baking in Pyjamas
• Cinnamon Apple Cake by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
• Dried Plum Stollen by Caroline’s Cooking
• Festive Kid Friendly Fruitcake Muffins by A Day in the Life on a Farm
• Fruit (Pan)cakes by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Irish Spiced Fruitcake by Making Miracles
• Lemon Berries Bundt Cake by Cookin and Craftin

So I made this cake on Sunday evening and didn't have enough light to photograph it that day, and I've been at work and hospital ever since. I asked my sister Kylie to take pictures and do a taste test for me - so you'll have to see her comments below. I should note I over baked this one probably at least 8 - 10 minutes which may have contributed to the extra dry texture. I heard the oven go off and was moving things around to make space to set the cake, then got distracted with something else in the kitchen. All of a sudden I looked at the oven trying to figure out why it was still on until I realized I hadn't actually pulled the cake OUT! Oops. Also keep in mind - Kylie doesn't like raisins or nuts in baked things, so ignore her comment about raisins ( :D ) - also note that the original recipe calls for a mix of currants, golden raisins, and dark raisins. I used all dark raisins and for the dried cherries I used a dried cherry berry blend. 

Quote from Kylie: As for taste - it was a little dry, but would be fine with tea, coffee, or cocoa.  The cinnamon flavor is very nice, but some of the raisins were still bitter.  I don't know if I got the wrong piece, but the ratio of raisins to dough seemed a little heavy on the raisins. Then again, I don't eat a lot of fruit cake - maybe it's supposed to be like that. I suppose if I were a fan of raisins and nuts I would think this was a perfectly good tea cake for the holidays.  None of the flavors are overpowering, but very well-balanced.  Oooooh.  It would be really good with a bunch more ginger, as a raisin-y spice cake!  I much prefer spice cake with my holiday coffee.

Thank you sister dearest for coming to the rescue and providing photos and a critique!

Irish Spiced Fruitcake from Never Enough Thyme

Ingredients

1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup currants
(note: use any mixture of the above to equal 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients except flour, baking soda, and eggs into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat while stirring regularly. Reduce the heat and simmer for above 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool for about 30 minutes.
2. While the mixture is cooling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8” cake pan  generously with cooking spray.
3. Stir the flour and eggs into the cooled fruit, spice, and nut mixture. Combine ingredients thoroughly until all of the flour has been incorporated. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Test the cake by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it doesn't come out clean, lower the oven temperature to 325 and continue baking and testing every 5-10 minutes. (The additional baking time will vary greatly depending on your oven and the cake pan used. Watch carefully as the cake can burn easily - do not overbake or you will dry out your cake.)
5. Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving.