Pastry Fruit Cake

Finally try out this Pastry Fruit  Cake. I saw many good reviews on this cake.  This cake first caught my eye when HHB posted it here，quite a number of my baking friends tried and give their thumbs up too. I love the colours of the fruits as it really make the cake look wickedly delicious!

  

Here's my version of the Fruit Pastry Cake. I bake it in a 9" round pan, topped with canned peaches and blueberries.  My kids commented that the cake smell good while it was still baking in the oven. This cake is like a cross between a butter cake and sponge cake, taste really good!!!

Ingredients:

100g butter, soften at room temperature
200g caster sugar
50g sour cream (I replaced with low-fat plain yogurt)
3 eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest (I used orange zest as it smell nicer)
210g self raising flour
500g fruits ( (apricots, peaches, pears, cherries, plums, orange, pineapple, or any other fruit not too juicy)

(In a strainer place the prepared fruits (pit removed and cut into pieces) optional: sprinkle them with 2 tablespoons of sugar.)


 Method:

1. Preheat Oven 
2. Grease (with butter) and flour the side of a 9" round pan and line the base with parchment paper.
3. With an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and sour cream (or yogurt) till light and fluffy.
4. Dribble in the eggs gradually and beat till incorporated in the batter. (The mixture may appear slightly curdled.)
5. Add vanilla extract and zest. Mix to combine.
6. Sieve over flour and baking powder and mix till smooth. 
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
8. Arrange fruits on top, don’t press the fruits down into the batter. Decorate the fruits as desired.
9. Bake in pre-heat oven at 180degC for 60-70 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Cover the top with foil in the last 15 mins of baking to prevent the top from getting over browned.  (I bake mine 60 minute @ 160degC, that depends of your oven.)
10. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for about 5~10 mins. Unmold and transfer to wire rack to let cool completely. Dust the cake with some icing sugar. (if desired)