Farmhouse Fruit Cake
Farmhouse Fruit Cake is a classic teatime cake packed with juicy raisins, sultanas and a splash of brandy. The Thermomix weighs the flour and butter directly in the bowl, grinds fresh mixed spice and blends the rich batter evenly, delivering a moist, fragrant fruit cake with deep old-fashioned flavour and a tender crumb every time.
About this recipe
Farmhouse Fruit Cake Thermomix TM7 is the kind of honest, old-fashioned bake that never goes out of style — a buttery, brandy-soaked cake studded with juicy raisins and sultanas, gently perfumed with freshly ground mixed spice. If you have been searching for fruit cake recipes for your all-in-one kitchen machine, this one shows exactly why the TM7 earns its place on the worktop. The built-in scale weighs the self raising flour, sugar and butter directly into the bowl, so there is no juggling of separate measuring cups, while the grinding function turns whole spices into a fragrant powder far more aromatic than anything pre-bought. Controlled heating gently warms the butter, milk and brandy so the dried fruit plumps up beautifully before folding. The result is a moist, close-textured cake with a golden crust, ideal as an afternoon dessert, a Sunday teatime treat or a homemade festive gift wrapped in parchment and ribbon.
Preparation tips
- Soak the raisins and sultanas in the brandy the night before baking if you can; the dried fruit absorbs the alcohol and swells, giving the Farmhouse Fruit Cake an extra moist crumb and a deeper, rounder flavour after a day of resting.
- Line the cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, extending slightly above the rim, so the rich buttery batter rises evenly without scorching on the edges during the longer bake this dense fruit cake needs.
- For a family-friendly version, replace the brandy with fresh orange juice or strong black tea; the sultanas still plump up nicely, and you can add a handful of chopped glacé cherries for colour and sweetness children love.
Recipe variations
- Alcohol-free variation: swap the brandy for freshly squeezed orange juice with a strip of zest, and let the raisins and sultanas steep in it overnight. The fruit cake keeps its moist texture and gains a bright citrus note suitable for all ages.
- Festive winter variation: add a diced eating apple, a tablespoon of black treacle and extra ground mixed spice plus a pinch of cinnamon, then finish the cooled cake with a brushing of warmed apricot jam and a scatter of blanched almonds for a Christmas-style centrepiece.
Why this recipe works
There is nothing quite like a classic Farmhouse Fruit Cake to bring warmth to the table, but achieving that perfect balance of moist fruit and tender crumb often feels challenging. With the Thermomix TM7, culinary precision is finally at your fingertips. Its intelligent temperature control and gentle stirring ensure every ingredient is incorporated perfectly, delivering that flawless texture you desire. Eliminate the guesswork and enjoy consistently impressive results, allowing you to serve a stunning, bakery-standard cake with absolute confidence and pride.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Built-in scale - The Thermomix weighs self raising flour and light sugar directly into the bowl, avoiding measuring-cup mess entirely. [Weighing]. [Built-in Scale]
- Fresh grinding - The TM7 grinds whole mixed spice to a fragrant powder, giving the fruit cake noticeably deeper aroma. [Grinding]. [Multi-Function]
- Even mixing - The Thermomix blends butter, egg and milk into a smooth cake batter in seconds without lumps. [Mixing]. [Multi-Function]
- Gentle heating - Precise temperature control of the TM7 warms the brandy and sultanas gently, plumping the fruit without scorching. [Heating]. [Precision Control]
- Light whipping - The TM7 whisks the egg into the butter mixture until pale and airy, creating a tender crumb. [Whipping]. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- self-raising flour
- fine sea salt
- ground mixed spice
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- milk
- brandy
- large egg
- raisins
- sultanas