Perfect "Steamed Baked" Fruit Cake

I'm back ...after missing in action for so long.  I have been unwell right after the Chinese New Year.  I know my recuperating period has been quite long.  The medicine that I took has made me lost all appetite and I have been eating very little lately too.  And all these have also make me feel lazy to bake or cook to update to my blog.  I am sure you will agree with me sometimes you just don't have the mood to do anything else.

Today, I am posting my favourite fruit cake again.  Other than kumquat, mixed dried fruit is one of my favourite cake.  If you have come to know my blog here, I have done few steamed fruit cake before; my 1st time done is Steamed Fruit cake  (steamed for 2 hrs 45 minutes), my 2nd recipe also is Steamed Fruit Cake (steamed for 4 hours).  And just last Christmas, I have also made a Christmas Pudding which called to steam for 4 hours 30 minutes. 

With the long hours of steaming the cake, the cake will stay moist in texture and believe me, the cake is absolutely sooooooo delicious.  I know some of you will freak out when I said the steaming took at least 3-4 hours.     

But now, there's a solution, instead of steaming you can use the method of "steam bake" the cake to cut down the cooking time..  Isn't it great?  Well, this idea, I really have to thank my dear friend Hui of Butterfly-Waltz whom has advised me and after she has successfully done hers by steamed baked this Perfect Steamed Baked Fruit Cake.

“Steamed Baked” Mixed Fruit Cake 

Ingredients

(A)

200g butter (at room temperature)
150g caster sugar
3 eggs

150g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

(B)
350g mixed dried fruit

1/3 cup rum or brandy (you can add in more if you like OR you can use orange juice too!)

150g plain flour, sifted

(C)

150g caster sugar

30g water


Method

Macerate the mixed dried fruit in the 1/3 cup rum for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Add in the 150g sifted plain flour into the mixture of dried fruit together.  Combined well and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.  Add in eggs, one at a time until well combined.  Add in vanilla essence.
Put in sifted flour, bicarbonate soda and cream of tartar.  
Add in the fruit mixture.  Mix all well together and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the 150g caster sugar into a saucepan and pour in the 30g water at the side of the  saucepan.  Cook till the sugar turn caramel.
Mix a well centre in the dough batter and pour in the caramel in the well and quickly mix all well combine.

(Please be extra CAREFUL when you pour in the hot caramel in to the batter!!) 

Prepare water bath and place in preheated oven of 170Celcius. 

Tip: use a medium/big square baking tray, filled with water and place in lower oven shelf. Heat water in the oven  (There's NO NEED to place cake tin "into" the water bath)

Grease and lined with greased proof paper to two small loaf pan pour the cake mixture in. 

Place cake tin on the second lowest shelf (or whichever shelf one usually use for baking) and bake at 170C for about 90minutes or until the skewer insert in comes out clean.

** I’m using two small loaf pans instead of 8” square pan as this will cut short the steam baking time. 

** You can wrap the cake pans with aluminium foil to slow steam bake to avoid burning on top.  

Feel free to do which step you feel appropriate.