Baking Guide For Cake Tins

These recipes can be multiplied to fit various shapes and sizes of cake tin - see the grid below for the quantities needed for your chosen tin.

Basic Fruit Cake Recipe for 6” round or 5” square tin

• • 110g / 4oz Butter, unsalted
• • 110g / 4oz Dark Muscovado sugar
• • 2 Eggs
• • 110g / 4oz Plain flour, sifted
• • Pinch of salt
• • 2 level teasp / 10ml of mixed spice
• • 450g / 1lb Mixed dried fruit, soaked overnight in 60ml / 2 tbsp brandy
• • 40g / 1½oz Glacé cherries, chopped
• • 40g / 1½oz Blanched almonds, chopped
• • 5ml / 1 tsp Black treacle, warmed
• • Finely grated rind of ½ orange and ½ lemon

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat the eggs together, add a little at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Gently fold in the flour, salt and spices.  Stir in the fruit, nuts, treacle and citrus rinds.
Spoon into the prepared tin.  Spread evenly then create a small depression in the middle of the cake (so that the surface flattens as it rises).  Bake following the instructions below.

 Basic Sponge Cake Recipe for 6” round or 5" square tin

• • 110g / 4oz Butter or soft margarine
• • 110g / 4oz Caster sugar
• • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
• • 110g / 4oz Self raising flour, sifted

Cream fat and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs a little at a time, beat well after each addition.
Carefully fold in the flour.  Add a little milk if necessary to create a dropping consistency (the mixture falls off the spoon when lifted above the bowl).  Spoon in to the prepared tin and spread evenly.  Bake following the instructions below.

NB – When using the numeral frames add 40-80grams/1-2oz of extra flour to create a firmer sponge.

Lining a Cake Tin
You'll find a selection of cake tin liners right here. To achieve the best results all tins must be properly prepared.  Grease the base and sides of the tin.  Cut a double thickness strip of greaseproof paper or baking parchment to line the sides of the tin, the paper should be 5cm / 2” higher than the tin.  Fold the length of the strip about 2.5cm /1” from the lower edge.  For tins with rounded sides make 2.5cm / 1” cuts at 2.5cm / 1” intervals along the length, the lining for rectangular and hexagonal tins needs to be cut at the corners only.  Place the prepared paper in the tin, press paper against the sides and the snipped, folded edge into the base of the tin.  Cut a double thickness of paper to line the base of the tin.

To prevent the sides of the fruit cake from overcooking in light weight tins it is advisable to line the outside with a double layer of brown parcel paper.

To prepare a cake frame place a sheet of foil on a baking sheet and put a sheet of greaseproof paper or baking parchment on top, using the frame as a rough guide cut the foil and paper at least 8cm/3” larger than the frame.  Crumple the foil and paper up the sides of the frame so that the paper is held firmly in place.  Butter and flour the paper and sides of the tin.  Keep the frame on the baking sheet for filling and baking.

As a rough guide - the amount of marzipan or ready to roll icing required is equal to half the weight of the baked fruit cake.

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