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Mary Berry Dundee Cake

Mary Berry Dundee Cake

Mary Berry's Dundee cake is a beautifully traditional Scottish fruit cake — lighter than Christmas cake, packed with fruit and almonds, and completely wonderful.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 14 Slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 390
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Dundee Cake:
  • 225 g unsalted butter softened
  • 225 g soft light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 275 g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 225 g sultanas
  • 150 g currants
  • 100 g raisins
  • 75 g mixed peel finely chopped
  • 50 g glacé cherries halved, rinsed and dried
  • Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
  • Zest of 1 unwaxed orange
  • 2 tbsp Scotch whisky dry sherry, or orange juice
  • 2 tbsp whole milk
  • Almond Top:
  • 100 g whole blanched almonds
  • 1 egg beaten (for glazing)
  • To Finish:
  • 1 tbsp warmed apricot jam sieved (optional)

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 150°C / 130°C fan / Gas 2. Grease and double-line a deep 20cm round tin.
  2. Beat butter and light brown sugar for 4–5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add a spoonful of flour if mixture curdles.
  4. Sift in flour, baking powder, mixed spice, and cinnamon. Fold gently until just combined.
  5. Add sultanas, currants, raisins, mixed peel, glacé cherries, lemon zest, orange zest, whisky, and milk. Fold until evenly distributed.
  6. Spoon into prepared tin and level with a wet spoon. Arrange blanched almonds in concentric circles over the surface. Press each one gently. Brush almonds carefully with beaten egg.
  7. Bake for 2–2½ hours until skewer comes out clean. Cover top loosely with parchment if almonds brown too fast.
  8. Cool completely in tin. Turn out carefully. Brush almond top with warmed apricot jam if using.

Notes

Take time arranging the almonds in concentric circles — it is the defining feature of this cake.
Press almonds gently onto the surface — do not push them into the batter.
Brush almonds with beaten egg before baking for a beautiful golden colour.
Rinse and dry glacé cherries before using to prevent sinking.
This cake improves significantly over 2–3 days — make ahead if possible.
Stores wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
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