Hairy Bikers Dundee Cake Recipe
Hairy Bikers Dundee Cake Recipe inspired with butter, dried fruit, citrus zest, and almonds. Bake a moist, buttery Scottish cake that's perfect for tea time or holidays.
Equipment
- 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tin
- Baking parchment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Cooling rack
- Fine grater or zester
- Mixing spoon
- Small bowl for preparing dried fruit
- Wire whisk
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 225 g unsalted butter softened
- 225 g light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 275 g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 300 g mixed dried fruit
- 75 g glacé cherries halved
- 50 g mixed candied peel
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Decoration
- 18 whole blanched almonds
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F).
- Grease the cake tin thoroughly and line both the base and sides with baking parchment.
Step 2: Prepare the Fruit
- Mix together the dried fruit, glacé cherries, candied peel, orange zest, and lemon zest in a bowl.
- Set aside while preparing the batter.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar until pale, fluffy, and creamy.
- This usually takes about five minutes.
Step 4: Add the Eggs
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- If the mixture begins to curdle, stir in a spoonful of flour before adding the next egg.
Step 5: Combine Dry Ingredients
- Whisk together:
- Plain flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Mixed spice
- Cinnamon
- Fold these gently into the butter mixture.
Step 6: Add Flavorings
- Mix in:
- Orange marmalade
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- The batter should be smooth and soft.
Step 7: Fold in Fruit
- Gently fold the prepared fruit mixture into the batter.
- Take your time to ensure the fruit is evenly distributed.
Step 8: Fill the Tin
- Transfer the batter into the prepared cake tin.
- Smooth the surface using a spatula.
Step 9: Decorate
- Arrange the blanched almonds in neat circles across the top.
- This classic decoration gives Dundee cake its famous appearance.
Step 10: Bake
- Bake for approximately 1 hour 50 minutes.
- If the cake browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the final 30 minutes.
- A skewer inserted into the center should come out clean.
Step 11: Cool
- Allow the cake to cool inside the tin for 20 minutes.
- Transfer it to a cooling rack until completely cool.
Notes
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
- Weigh ingredients for accuracy.
- Toss dried fruit with a tablespoon of flour to prevent sinking.
- Do not rush the creaming stage.
- Use fresh citrus zest for maximum flavor.
- Cover with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing.
- Store overnight before serving for even better flavor.
- Use high-quality butter.
- Arrange almonds neatly for a beautiful finish.