Saint Martin's Fruit and Nut Cake
Saint Martin’s Day in November is a time when walnuts, almonds and dried figs are in abundance in Malta. In an ongoing custom, children are given bags of sweets, dried fruits and nuts similar to those in this cake, and there is a traditional rhyme honouring the foods and the saint. Many ‘Saint Martin’s’ recipes involve these ingredients, with this cake one of the most popular. It’s dense and protein-rich, and keeps well for days.
Ingredients 20
120 g dried fig, thinly sliced
60 ml dark rum
150 g pitted dates, soft, chopped
100 ml water
80 g walnuts, broken, plus extra for garnish
100 g almonds, roasted, chopped, plus extra for garnish
100 g roasted hazelnuts, chopped, plus extra for garnish
sprigs, for garnish
1 ‒ 2 apples, large or small, peeled, grated
80 g raisin, plus extra for garnish
1 lemon zest, medium, grated
200 g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
150 g butter, softened
120 g white sugar
4 eggs, large
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
1⁄2 tsp ground cloves
4 tbsp honey
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Method 7
Soak the in the or vermouth for 1 hour. Heat the and in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once simmering, remove from the heat and mash to a paste with the back of a fork. Allow to cool.
Add the chopped , , , and 2 tablespoons of the to the pan of date paste. Stir the mixture well.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the and until pale and creamy. Add the one at a time and whisk until incorporated.
Sift the remaining into a separate bowl and stir in the and spices. Fold this into the butter mixture. Now fold in the and .
When batter is combined, pour it into a floured cake tin. In a bowl, mix the garnish and with the using a spoon. Spoon mixture on to the cake before baking in oven. If the nuts start to brown too much add a layer of foil on top half way through cooking.
Preheat the oven to 165°C (330°F). Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 160°C (320°F) and bake for 55–60 minutes, or until a skewer or knife inserted in the middle tests clean.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least an hour before serving.
