CHOCOLATE PRUNE AND MIXED FRUIT CAKE

 I came across this recipe from the book Feast by Nigella Lawson and as I love prunes and coffee liqueur and my husband loves fruit cake and we both love chocolate - what better way to make two people happy at the same time by baking this cake - two for the price of one as the saying goes.

 It was actually so easy to bake and I loved the fact that all the fruit, chocolate, coffee Kahlua, orange juice, honey, butter and sugar was boiled together and then left to infuse for a while.

What I did add to the cake that was not in the original recipe was 100g of dark chocolate.

I am not sure if it made any difference to how it would have tasted as I have not made this cake before or even if it took the taste up a level but what I do know is that the end result was a cake that was so moist and delicious and is definitely one to do again.

My husband's comments after eating this cake was that I need never worry about him ever leaving home as I am definitely the domestic goddess with the mostest.

Recipe for this divine cake to wow family and friends alike is as follows :

350g prunes

250g raisins

125g currants

50g piece candied orange peel

175g soft unsalted butter

175g dark muscovado sugar

175ml runny honey

125ml Tia Maria or other coffee liqueur

Juice and zest of 2-3 oranges (400ml juice)

1 teaspoon mixed spice

4 tablespoons cocoa

3 eggs beaten

150g plain flour

75g ground almonds

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

100g dark chocolate (my addition)

Put the fruit, butter, sugar, honey. Tia Maria, orange juice and zests, spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan and bring to the boil gently, stirring as the butter melts.  Simmer for 10 minutes and then take off the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes or longer if you like.

Add the beaten eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and if you are going to add the dark chocolate -  add that as well and stir with a wooden spoon to combine well to the boiled fruit mixture.  

Pour into a big cake tin (i used a square one) of least 20cm wide and at least 9cm deep and bake in the oven gas mark 2/150deg C for about an hour and a half or until the skewer comes out clean.  The cake will be still gooey in the middle and have a shiny and sticky look.  Place on a rack to cool completely.

The recipe suggests that you wrap it in baking parchment and then tin foil and place in a tin.....My suggestion - invite your friends around and eat immediately or as I am going to do - take it with me on a picnic I am having with my friends on Friday........