If you’re seeking the quintessential Christmas cake that combines rich flavors and a festive appearance, look no further than the Scottish Traditional Dundee Cake. Originating from the historic city of Dundee in Scotland, this fruitcake is renowned for its unique blend of dried fruits, nuts, and citrus zest. Unlike the denser Christmas fruitcakes, the Traditional Dundee Cake is light, flavorful, and garnished beautifully with whole almonds, making it a perfect centerpiece for your holiday table.
Creating the best Scottish fruitcake at home is a festive joy that brings a touch of Scottish heritage to our holiday tables. The process, from creaming butter and sugar to the sweet aroma of baking fruits is delightful. Each step leads to a wonderful Christmas treat, filled with the warmth and charm of the season.
Why Choose Dundee Cake?
The Dundee Cake is celebrated for its simplicity and elegance. Unlike other fruitcakes that may feel overly heavy or laden with alcohol, the Dundee Cake strikes a perfect balance, offering a moist and delicious experience with every bite. The combination of raisins, sultanas, and zesty citrus flavors, along with the delicate crunch of roasted almonds, makes this cake a true festive treat.
Tips for the Perfect Dundee Cake
- Quality Ingredients: Use the best quality dried fruits and fresh citrus for the best flavor.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before starting.
- Even Baking: Rotate your cake halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
Notes:
- To cream margarine and sugar: You can cream your margarine and sugar by hand or electric hand whisk if you do not have a food processor.
- Marmalade: If you could find Dundee Marmalade with Peel would be lovely, otherwise just get other good quality marmalade from your town grocery stalls.
- Dried fruits: Use any combination you can find, for example combination of currents or golden raisin.
- Baking fat: Instead of margarine, you can also use vegan butter or vegetable shortening. For non-vegan, you can substitute it with butter or lard.
- Add flour to creamed margarine and sugar: Why do we add one or two tablespoons of the flour mixture along with the eggs to the creamed margarine and sugar? The reason is that this technique prevents the eggs from curdling during the mixing process.
Enjoy Your Dundee Cake
By following this recipe, you’ll create a traditional Dundee Cake that’s not only delicious but also visually stunning, making it the perfect addition to your holiday festivities.
Whether served at a festive gathering or as a special treat with a cup of tea, this cake is sure to impress. Its delightful combination of fruits, nuts, and zesty flavours encapsulates the spirit of Christmas in every bite.
Happy baking and Merry Christmas!
Traditional Scottish Dundee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 50 g roasted almonds, chopped
- 150 g raisins
- 150 g sultanas
- 225 g all-purpose flour
- 45 g almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 5 tablespoons marmalade
- orange
- lemon
- 175 vegan butter
- 175 light brown sugar
- 3 large free-range eggs
To Garnish
- whole-blanched almonds
Method
- Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. This helps the eggs to not curdle when you mix them.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and gently fold them into the mixture until well combined.
- Add the mixed dried fruit, chopped roasted almonds, and citrus zest. Mix well to distribute the fruit and nuts evenly throughout the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Arrange a few additional whole-blanched almonds on top of the batter for decoration.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake is browning too quickly, cover it with foil during the last part of baking.
- Once baked, allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy your delicious Scottish Dundee Cake!
It is super tasty!