The Scottish Dundee Cake is a great alternative to the rich Christmas Cake or Plum Cake. This is the cake if you want a lighter, fluffy crumb and a moist cake that works as a great holiday dessert or an everyday tea cake. This cake is simpler to make but checks all the right boxes for a great family style dessert!
120gramschopped dried fruits and nutswe used almonds, cashews, dried apricots, raisins, sultanas, dried figs
2tablespoonsWhiskey
¼cupsliced Almonds
Glaze
⅔cupIcing Sugar
1 cupOrange JuiceFreshly squeezed
1 tablespoonButtermelted
Instructions
Dundee Cake
In a bowl, mix together chopped fruit and whiskey. Refrigerate overnight. Take this out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start baking the cake to ensure it comes to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Grease and line an 8 inch baking pan with butter and parchment paper.
Reserve one tablespoon all purpose flour and set aside. Sieve together remaining all purpose flour, almond flour, milk powder and baking powder in a bowl and keep aside.
Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy using a hand blender or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Cream for about 3-4 minutes until pale in colour.
Add eggs and orange marmalade and blend. Mix well and remember to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add the sieved flour mix to the butter mixture and use the hand blender to mix well. Make sure there are no lumps.
Add the reserved tablespoon of all purpose flour to the chopped fruit and mix well. Add the chopped fruit to the batter and fold to combine. Transfer the prepared batter to the lined baking pan. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to level it. Tap it against the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve with the orange glaze.
Glaze
Whisk together the orange juice, icing sugar and melted butter. Whisk for 2 minutes till it is well combined. Pass it through a fine sieve and serve with the Dundee cake!
Video
Notes
Soak the dried fruits and nuts in whiskey before you begin the cake prep - ideally overnight. You can soak it for longer if you wish to. You can use any whiskey you like or substitute it with orange juice
Do not skip milk powder. It gives it a slight malty flavour
Orange: Marmalade or jam, candied orange peel and even an orange glaze taste can be added for that fragrant orange.
Whiskey: Scotch whisky is ideal for this Scottish cake. Instead you can use any other whiskey or brandy, or just skip it entirely.
Blanched or sliced almonds for a white-on-brown decoration on top of the cake.
Bake the cake at 180 degrees in a preheated oven for about 40-50 minutes. To check if the cake is completely baked, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center and it should come out completely clean. Once baked, let the cake cool down and then serve it with orange glaze or powdered sugar