Cider Cake

15th September 2015

This little gem is one of my all time favourites from an old Farmhouse cookbook of my parent's. I have been making this since I needed some baking therapy through my exams at school, for my mum's tennis teas and my own pleasure. And its very easy to make. I chose to do this during Victorian baking week as its fairly similar to a fruit cake. But tastier!

It does, however, require a bit or forethought - the sultanas and raisins have to be soaked overnight covered in cider. Any cider works, and I usually just use cheap cider.

The next day, we begin by creaming the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. The eggs are added one at a time and beaten into the mixture. Next goes in the dried fruit, now fully plumped up with cider goodness. The recipe strictly speaking says to drain off the additional cider but I always find it tastes better and remains more moist if the extra cider is added to the mixture. And for a gluten free cake it stops the bake from drying out and becoming crumbly.

The gluten free flour and mixed spice were added gradually to the mixture and beaten in until smooth. The trick is to not over work the gluten free flour. This mixture was poured into a prepared cake tin and baked in the oven.

I let the cake cool and mature over night and it was perfectly fruity and moist the next evening for Bake Off. Even after being carted around London in the rain beforehand. It really is one of my favourite cakes.