An easy to make Sultana cake recipe that is filled with plump sultanas soaked in a little lemon juice. You will love this moist and delicious traditional style cake.
Grease and line the base and sides of a (7") 18cm loose bottomed sandwich cake tin with baking parchment, with an allowance of about 2 inch of baking parchment above the sides of the tin, as this will allow the cake batter to rise and not overflow. Alternatively you could use a deep sided cake tin.
Place the Sultanas in a small dish add 1 tablespoon of hot preboiled water and the juice of half a lemon. This will allow the sultanas to become plump and juicy with a little lemon zing. Give everything a good stir and leave to one side while you get on with making the cake batter.
Using a hand held mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until lighter in colour and a little fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a little flour in-between each one to help prevent curdling.
Add the remaining flour and Mixed Spice. Mix until well combined.
Sieve the soaked Sultanas discarding any excess liquid. Add the Sultanas to the cake batter and give it a good mix with a large spoon.
Pour the cake batter evenly into the cake tin, levelling off the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 – 30 mins. Testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
Take out of the oven and sprinkle with demerara sugar while it is still warm. Leave in the tin to cool a little before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
NOTES AND FAQ’S
Why do my Sultanas Sink?Your cake batter could be too runny and not able to hold the weight of the dried fruit. If the Sultanas are a little weighty and on the large size, chop them down a little.
Why is my Sultana Cake Dry?Over baking, the cake could be one reason, and not storing it in an airtight container could be another reason. Storing cakes in the fridge can often dry them out.
How long will a Sultana Cake Keep?It will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.