 Not long after we were married, Wayne's Aunty and I went to a microwave cooking demonstration. It was mind-blowing to me. I'd always thought the microwave was for reheating; I'd never tried to cook in it.
One of the best things I learned at that demonstration was this recipe for a fruit cake - cooked entirely in the microwave oven, and in a quarter of the time it takes in a conventional oven! Ingredients: 1kg mixed fruit 200g butter 1cup brown sugar 2tbsp liquid (orange juice, brandy or water) 4 eggs 1 cup SR flour 1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp Parisienne Essence - see note Method: Place the fruit, butter, brown sugar and orange juice in a microwave safe container and cook on high for five minutes. Let go completely cold. When cold, add the flour, mixed spice and Parisienne essence. Beat the eggs and add to the mixture. Stir well. Cook in a 20cm microwave safe round cake pan. Line base of pan with baking paper. Wrap outside with foil, extending 2cm above top of pan. Secure with a rubber band. Cook 25 minutes on medium. Let cool in pan. Note: As this cake is cooked in the microwave, it doesn’t brown like a traditional fruit cake. The Parisienne Essence darkens the cake, giving it a more traditional look.If you don't have it, leave it out - just remember your cake won't darken like a traditional fruit cake.
12 Comments
Winny
5/3/2020 05:52:58 pm
I can’t believe you’re up in foil around it.. The microwave is getting to the ingredients of the container. Surely they would stop at cooking. Usually it does. I find this quite unusual.
Winny
9/3/2020 10:26:33 am
I’m surprised you’re putting foil around it In the microwave.
Cath
9/3/2020 12:34:46 pm
No, I meant what I wrote. That was how I was taught to cook this cake 31 years ago, and it's how I've done it a dozen times a year since.
Winny
14/3/2020 12:53:34 am
Does the foil spark and make a noise as the microwaves cook the cake? Also, the rubber band - does it melt, in the microwave?
Cath
14/3/2020 06:26:18 pm
No. As long as the area of the foil is less than 25% of the area of the dish it will be OK The foil is used to protect the fruit cake from over-cooking because of the speed of microwave cooking. The rubber band won't melt, but it won't be able to be reused.
Winny
22/3/2020 09:46:42 am
Is it very sweet? I’m just wondering, because the dried fruit would be sweet already and on top of that, there’s a cup of sugar. (Just wondering if I should cut it back a bit.) Do any of your visitors say, “wow, that’s sweet”?
Cath
22/3/2020 11:36:04 am
No, It's a fruit cake, it's not overly sweet. By all means if you want to play with the recipe and change it, do so - but just remember baking is a precise science and the ratios for ingredients in recipes are for a purpose, Change them at your own risk.
Delia
6/12/2021 03:59:02 am
Does this cake dry out more quickly than a conventionally baked cake?
Cath (Cheapskates Staff)
6/12/2021 08:27:10 am
It won't keep as long as a slow baked, alcohol drizzled fruit cake, but it will keep for a couple of weeks. You could do the traditional brandy sprinkle every week if you want to keep it longer.
ronald Brennan
11/12/2022 02:28:54 pm
I have cooked this cake for 25 years,until my carousel M/W
Jakki Blackford
21/11/2023 07:12:57 pm
Can you state your microwave wattage, what is medium? I have 1000W and made a log shape, at 600W for 20 minutes and it is burnt in spots. I will have to try again, but an expensive waste. Any ideas?
Cath Armstrong
21/11/2023 08:09:49 pm
I think the problem is the shape. You made a log - the recipe says to use a 20cm round microwave safe cake pan. Did you line the tin and wrap the outside with foil, taking it up over the side of the pan? Medium is 50% power on a 1000 watt microwave oven, or check the manual for your particular microwave. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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