F I TZB I L L I ES 100
DECORATED GENOA CAKE THIS IS THE RECIPE THAT FITZBILLIES HAS ALWAYS GIVEN OUT WHENEVER IT’S BEEN ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE A RECIPE TO A COOKBOOK. IT IS THE RECIPE INCLUDED IN JANE GRIGSON’S OBSERVER GUIDE TO BRITISH COOKERY, FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1984. WE STILL MAKE IT AT CHRISTMAS FOR THOSE PEOPLE (AND THERE ARE SOME) WHO PREFER THEIR FRUIT CAKE WITHOUT MARZIPAN AND ICING. WE ALWAYS LOVE ITS BEAUTIFUL, JEWEL-LIKE TOPPING
INGREDIENTS • 150g caster sugar • 150g salted butter, softened • 3 medium eggs, at room temperature
• 175g plain flour • 150g currants • 150g sultanas
• 40g golden syrup • 125g glacé cherries • 75g blanched almonds • 75g pecans
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line an 18cm round cake tin with baking parchment so that it comes 2.5cm above the rim. Cream together the caster sugar and butter in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in half the flour. Mix the other half of the flour with the currants and sultanas, then carefully fold this into the rest of the mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 190°C (170°C fan) and bake for a further 30 minutes until the cake is lightly golden and just springs back to the touch. If the cake is starting to brown too much, cover the top with a double thickness of baking parchment. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a saucepan, warm the golden syrup slightly to make it more runny, then gently mix in the glacé cherries, almonds and pecans. When the cake comes out of the oven, spread this topping over the top of the cake and press it down evenly with wet fingers. Then place it back in the oven for a further 20 minutes until lightly browned. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
“We always love its beautiful, jewel-like topping”
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