Here’s a Traditional Irish Porter Cake — a really great fruit cake with the addition of stout. I’ve jazzed up the fruit a little from just sultanas, raisins and currants. Out of plain curiosity, I tried both the boiled fruit cake method and creaming method, I have to say the boiled method wins for me — mainly because of the intensity of flavour. The texture of the creamed cake is more crumbly and cake-like and also delicious. The cake keeps well wrapped in cling film and an airtight container and improves with a day or two before cutting. 

Traditional Irish Porter Cake

Porter Cake Ingredients

225gr butter

225gr light brown sugar

300ml Guinness

600gr Mixed Fruit:

Made up of:

150gr Morchino cherries

150gr sultanas

150gr raisins

150gr chopped dried figs

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 1 lemon

¼ tsp salt

450gr plain flour

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp all spice

1 tsp baking powder

2 free range eggs beaten

Method:

Line an 8 x 10inch tin.

In a medium pot, melt the butter and sugar, once melted add the Guinness and bring to the boil.

Add the fruit, zest and salt and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

Sift the flour, spices, and baking powder together and add to the fruit mix.

Beat in the eggs.

Scrape the batter into the tin, level carefully and bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours until cooked through.

Enjoy, personally I like a slather of butter on top.