Exquisite Mini Cakes Recipe

This is a recipe for a British cake that will delight fans. There are a few tricks to get the best possible taste. First of all, I don't use candied fruits, but only dried fruits, and preferably a combination of apricots, figs and raisins flambéed with rum. I also incorporate orange syrup. The mini cakes are excellent and of superior quality. The proportions are also suitable for a large cake tin.

You thought you knew this familiar recipe and its typical taste? Rediscover this great classic as if it were the first time. I have perfected this personal recipe with a lot of diligence and many tries until I was completely satisfied. Guaranteed success among gourmets. Everything is detailed so that you succeed on the first try.

• 250 g all-purpose wheat flour T65 type,
• 125 g quality butter with taste, at room temperature and soft (having the consistency of an ointment),
• 80 g blond cane sugar to be ground into icing sugar (about 45 seconds in a blender/chopper),
• 2 eggs at room temperature,
• 1 untreated organic orange,
• 200 g dried fruit (the best combination is dried figs and dried apricots; candied cherries are optional; other combinations of candied fruit are possible),
• 125 g raisins,
• 20 g sweet liquid honey with a neutral taste,
• 6 g baking powder (2 level teaspoons or 1/2 bag),
• 2 pinches of fine salt,
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of brown rum to flavour the dough and 90 ml to dip and flambé the raisins.

Course of the recipe:

All ingredients are at room temperature. Soak the dried fruit in hot water for more than 30 minutes to soften them. Drain and slice the moistened fruit into small chunks. Place the raisins in a small saucepan, cover and level them with rum and heat them over very low heat (about 40°) for 30 minutes. Once soaked, heat them over medium-high heat until they are very hot, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heater, pour 15 ml of rum over the raisins and ignite the hot rum with a lighter. Shake the pan until the flame goes out. Grate the orange zest (15 to 20 g). Squeeze the orange juice (about 100 ml) which you will reduce by 3/4 in a saucepan over medium heat for about 15 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and icing sugar with the electric mixer for 3 minutes. As soon as the mixture becomes even, crack the eggs one by one. Between each addition of an egg, whisk for about 1 minute with the electric mixer. Add the honey, the two pinches of salt, the zest, 25 ml of concentrated orange juice and the rum, mix for 30 seconds. In another bowl, carefully mix the sifted flour and baking powder, pour them into the bowl of liquid ingredients as you go, and mix with the electric mixer for 1 minute or slightly more, so as not to overwork the dough or make it elastic. Add the raisins and dried or candied fruit to the dough.

If necessary, butter and flour your mould. Use 9 cm long × 5 wide × 2 high impressions, otherwise use a muffin tin. With a tablespoon, fill 3/4 of the pan, but never to the brim. If necessary, place a baking tray under the baking rack to spread the heat. Bake the mini cakes for 5 minutes at 230°, then for about 15 minutes at 160°. For a large 24 cm long cake tin, bake for 10 minutes at 230° and for about 40 to 45 minutes at 160°. Insert a pin in the centre of the cake, if it comes out with a few crumbs, it is cooked, if it comes out dry, it is overcooked. Take them out of the oven, unmould them immediately and let them cool on a wire rack.

Mini cakes can be stored 6 weeks in the freezer in a sealed bag or 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 days at room temperature in an airtight box with a paper at the bottom. They should not be allowed to dry out.

The cakes are eaten the next day to be tastier and not a few hours after baking. They can be kept in a cool place or in the refrigerator either in a closed box, a bag or wrapped in plastic film. They will become more compact, moist and soak up their flavours.

After thawing or taking them out of the refrigerator, leave them at room temperature for at least one hour. To enjoy their taste and texture, always eat them at room temperature around 20°.