Pineapple and Carnation Fruit Cake
Pineapple and Carnation Fruit Cake is a modern British recipe for a classic rich fruit cake of fruit soaked in carnation-scented liqueur with pineapple made into a batter with butter, eggs, ground almond and plain flour before being oven baked and which makes and excellent Birthday or Christmas cake. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Pineapple and Carnation Fruit Cake.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
240 minutes
Total Time:
260 minutes
Additional Time:
(+infusing and macerating)
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Baking RecipesCake RecipesBritish Recipes
The best carnations for this recipe are clove-pinks (mini-carnations)
Dianthus caryophyllus graandin which both impart a wonderful red colour and a clove-like taste. But any red-tinged carnation can be used.
Like all classic rich fruit cakes this is best made a few weeks before you need it, so that it has time to mature.
Ingredients:
For the Carnation-scented Liqueur:
250ml sherry, rum or whisky
scented carnation (clove pink) petals
For the Fruit Mix:
The carnation-scented liqueur
420g sultanas
140g currants
200g crystallized cherries, chopped
100g crystallized
ginger, chopped
250g glacé cherries or dried pineapples, chopped
120ml pineapple jam or apricot jam
3 tbsp freshly-grated orange or
lemon zest
200g fresh or tinned pineapple, finely chopped
200g brown sugar
juice of 1 lemon
For the Cake:
250g butter
5 eggs
70g ground
almonds
280g plain flour
Method:
Begin with the liqueur. Fill a large jar with scented carnation petals then pour over the alcohol. Macerate gently with a long spoon then leave to soak for 60 minutes. After this time, drain off the alcohol, replace the flowers and pour over the alcohol again. Crush gently with a fork and leave to soak for 60 minute more. Repeat this process until the alcohol is carnation-scented.
Combine the sultanas, currant, cherries, ginger, glacé cherries or pineapples, pineapple jam (or apricot jam), orange zest, tinned fruit, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Pour over the carnation-scented alcohol, cover with clingfilm and set aside to soak in the refrigerator for at least 3 days (a couple of weeks is best).
Once the fruit have soaked sufficiently melt the butter, pour into a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Once the eggs are incorporated into the butter mix in the almonds and plain flour. Now add the fruit mixture and fold gently but thoroughly into the batter with a spoon (do not over mix).
Pour the batter into a deep cake tin, the edges of which have been lined with buttered baking paper. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 150°C and bake for 4 hours, or until the cake is cooked through. If the top of the cake is browning too quickly cover with foil and turn the heat down slightly.
Allow to cool in the tin before turning out. Wrap securely in foil, place in an air-tight tin and set aside until Christmas. Like most rich fruit cakes it can be fed a little brandy or whisky each week to improve the flavour (it is best, or course, if you make a little more of the carnation liqueur and use this).
Find more Christmas Recipes Here and for more Birthday recipes, check out the link on the left.
