Description
Sweet Genoa Cake delights with rich almond and citrus notes, blending Italian tradition and festive charm. Moist crumb and elegant presentation invite you to savor a slice of Mediterranean culinary heritage.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Fruits:
- 350 grams (12.35 ounces) glace cherries, quartered
- 225 grams (7.94 ounces) tinned pineapple, chopped
- 50 grams (1.76 ounces) dried apricots, chopped
- 350 grams (12.35 ounces) sultanas
- 50 grams (1.76 ounces) whole orange peel, cut
Nuts and Baking Ingredients:
- 100 grams (3.53 ounces) blanched almonds, chopped
- 75 grams (2.65 ounces) ground almonds
- 250 grams (8.82 ounces) self-raising flour
- 250 grams (8.82 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 250 grams (8.82 ounces) caster sugar
- 5 large eggs
- Zest of 2 lemons
Decoration and Topping:
- Whole blanched almonds
- Walnut halves
- Halved glace cherries
- 100 grams (3.53 ounces) apricot jam
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment at 160°C (140°C fan), meticulously greasing and lining a 23cm round cake tin with parchment paper.
- Create a vibrant fruit medley by combining chopped cherries, diced pineapple, sliced apricots, whole almonds, citrus zest, and plump sultanas in a mixing bowl.
- Whip butter and sugar together until achieving a light, airy, and creamy consistency.
- Incorporate eggs gradually, strategically adding flour to prevent mixture from separating.
- Gently fold remaining flour and ground almonds into the batter, then delicately integrate the prepared fruit mixture.
- Transfer batter into the prepared tin, carefully smoothing the surface for uniform baking.
- Artfully arrange additional topping ingredients across the cake’s surface for visual appeal.
- Bake for approximately 2¼ hours, strategically covering with aluminum foil after the first hour to prevent excessive browning.
- Allow cake to rest in the tin for half an hour, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Warm apricot jam, strain to remove any solids, and delicately brush over the cooled cake for a glossy, professional finish.
Notes
- Soak dried fruits in rum or brandy overnight for deeper, richer flavor complexity.
- Toast almonds lightly before adding to enhance their nutty profile and prevent sinking in the batter.
- Use room temperature eggs and butter to ensure smoother, more consistent cake texture.
- Dust fruits with a little flour before folding into batter to prevent them from dropping to bottom during baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 14 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 422
- Sugar: 41g
- Sodium: 57mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 3.5g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 93mg