Lemongrass' musings

My plurkenbuddies have been demanding to know about Guinness Cake, so here is the recipe, stolen from the Rayburn Cookbook by Sarah Pym.

Guinness Cake is a rich fruit cake made moist by the addition of Guinness stout.  It keeps particularly well.

Ingredients

225g (8oz) butter or margarine
225g (8oz) soft dark brown sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
275g (10oz) self-raising flour
10ml (2tsp) mixed spice
225g (8oz) seedless raisins
225g (8oz) sultanas
100g (4oz) mixed peel
100g (4oz) chopped walnuts
125ml (1/4pt) Guinness

Oven

Set the oven for 170 to 180C (325-350°F)

Method

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Fold in the flour and the mixed spice, and add the fruit and nuts. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the Guinness and mix to a soft dropping consistency. Turn into a greased and lined 18cm (7inch) round cake tin and bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour. Reduce the temperature (perhaps by opening the oven door a little) and cook for a further 1.5 hours or until completely cooked. (Test using a clean dry knife stabbed gently into the top of the cake; if it comes out clean, it’s cooked.) Allow to cool. Prick with a skewer or fine knitting needle and pour on the remaining Guinness.