Irish Porter Cake (Stout Fruit Cake)
In short: A rich, dark fruit cake made with dried fruit soaked in Irish stout, then baked slowly. It improves with a few days of resting. It takes about 2 h 15 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 h 45 min
- Resting
- 12 h
- Total
- 2 h 15 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 365 kcal
Porter cake is Ireland's rich fruit cake made with dark beer instead of brandy. Dried fruit soaks overnight in stout and then goes into a buttery brown sugar batter spiced with mixed spice, and the cake bakes slowly into a moist, dense slice with a deep malty flavor. It is served at Christmas and family celebrations, and it is better if you wrap it and wait a few days before cutting.
Instructions
- Put the dried fruit and orange zest in a bowl, pour over the stout, cover and leave overnight, or at least 8 hours.
- Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Grease a 20 cm (8 in) deep round cake pan and line the base and sides with a double layer of baking paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each.
- Fold in the rest of the flour, the mixed spice and the salt, then fold in the soaked fruit and all of the stout.
- Spoon the batter into the pan, level the top and make a shallow dip in the center.
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cover the top loosely with foil if it browns too fast.
- Cool completely in the pan, then spoon the whiskey over the top if using. Wrap in baking paper and foil, and store for 2 to 3 days before slicing.
Tips
- Wrap the cooled cake and keep it for 2 to 3 days. The flavors mellow and the crumb turns moister. It keeps for 2 weeks in a cool place.
- Line the pan with a double layer of paper. The long, slow bake can scorch the edges of a fruit cake otherwise.
Questions and answers
What is porter, and can I use stout instead?
Porter is a dark ale, the forerunner of stout. Irish stout works well and is easier to find.
Is porter cake alcohol-free?
No. Some alcohol stays in the cake after baking. For an alcohol-free version, soak the fruit in strong cold tea instead.
How long does porter cake keep?
Wrapped in baking paper and foil, it keeps for 2 weeks, and it freezes well for up to 3 months.
How long does it take to make Irish Porter Cake (Stout Fruit Cake)?
About 2 h 15 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 1 h 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Irish Porter Cake (Stout Fruit Cake)?
About 365 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 57 g of carbohydrates and 13 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 365 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 57 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 38 g |
| Sodium | 190 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
