– Chocolate Ale Fruit Cake –
Baking Mad and Eric Lanlard
- The new series of Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard is due to start on 5th March at 12:05pm on Channel 4 for every week day for 4 weeks.
- The new series will appeal to bakers of every kind from the novice to the expert. Keen bakers will be able to see Eric Lanlard, the master of all things sweet and beautiful, at home in his kitchen conjuring up quick baking recipes alongside his signature glamorous desserts. Each 30 minute episode, will also feature three members of the public who will come to his cookery school, Cake Boy, to demonstrate their baking skills and take part in a ‘Bake Off’.
- Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard is a beautifully produced series that balances inspiration with information, engaging the viewer to try new things to add to their baking repertoire.
- Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard is sponsored by Bakingmad.com, an inspirational online community of over 100,000 members sharing a wealth of information, recipes, hints, tips and advice.
I am trying to win a BIG FAT EASTER CAKE baked by the man himself with this lush recipe! This is one of the recipes from the Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard series, and I was recently asked if I would like to enter into the fun of things, to bake something in order to enter this tasty event and also by way of highlighting the new Baking Mad series that started on television last Monday the 5th March; all of the details are above, and do try NOT to miss the series, as it’s great fun and very informative, plus I know some of the people who entered……..so, I will be glued to the screen, with buttercream………
I decided to make this cake from a very delicious list of recipe suggestions, and there are several reasons why – I had two bottles of spiced chocolate ale left from Christmas; this cake is a low-fat cake with no butter or fats added; it’s a classic tea loaf which I love; I LOVE dried fruit in cakes, as well as a wee bit of booze and, I had a jar of plum jam that was JUST screaming to be spread all over this luscious loaf! The fruit is soaked in the ale over night which plumps them up so much that they were like liposuction lips!
I was delighted with the results – the cake was moist, fragrantly spiced with a slight chocolatey flavour and was the perfect vehicle for fresh butter and jam……the cake gets better the longer you leave it too, not that we have many slices left! The recipe can be found on the Baking Mad site here: Chocolate Ale Fruit Cake. With thanks to Nancy at Baking Mad who sent me some flour and sugar to help out with the recipe, the rest of the ingredients were my own, to include: my own free-range chicken’s eggs, butter, mixed spice, spiced chocolate ale and dried mixed fruit. That’s all for today, I will be back with a new Slow Sunday post where the new blog hop will be up and running for March. Karen.
How on earth did you have chocolate ale leftover? This looks fabulous though. If you don’t drink the ale, this must be the next best thing to do with it.
It IS a mystery how I still had chocolate ale left from Christmas! It was bought for my Christmas puddings! The cake was, all gone now, amazing!
You’ve got some amazing photos 🙂 it looks delicious!! I haven’t had a chocolate fruit cake before gotta try sometime! Thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks Daisy – the spiced chocolate ale made this cake!
Chocolate ale is new to me and it sounds like the perfect addition to this dense, dried fruit studded cake. This is my favorite kind of afternoon sweet with a cup of tea. Delicious photos, Karen.
Thanks Cathy, the chocolate ale was spiced and a special Christmas beer!
just looks so think and unctuous and soooo chocolatey I NEED this now… I love how deeply packed with fruit this cake is… definitely a winner in my book!… and don’t forget to tune in on Thursday for little old me!!
I have already set the scheduler for Thursday and will be watching your every move! 🙂
I love low-fat tea loaves – they make me wonder what the butter and sugar in Christmas cakes is actually contributing! Have never tried one with jam though, sounds so good.
Yes I agree, the butter seems superfluous when you see and taste this cake; the jam was surprisingly good as well as a slice of cheese too.
What a wonderful loaf, and without fat it’s really a health food! I watched one episode and thought it was a little disappointing, but I’m sure that’s down to the production company, Eric Lanard certainly knows his stuff and I’m sure one of his cakes would be fabulous. Good Luck, I do hope you win. Jude x
Thanks Jude! I am watching the series to see Dom, Nelly and Fleur!
That looks scrumptious Karen. I too love a fruit loaf and the thought of it with butter & your homemade plum jam, well that is sweet torture.
Thanks Jac! The jam really went with it so well!
Chocolate and ale and fruit cake? Hellloooo my new favourite cake! This looks absolutely delicious Karen, as always!
LOL! Kate, that’s RIGHT – Helllooo, also a new favourite for me too!
Ha ha – I’ve an idea how this one tastes 😉 Is there anyone else other than Dom I should know on the show Karen? Hadn’t realised we were up for winning a cake either – how slow am I!
Thanks Choclette! Yes, you may know NellysCupCakes and HomeMadeByFleur, who are also on the series too…..
Goodness me Karen, considering how badly they messed you around you are a better person than I would be in giving them some publicity. How nice of you to rise above it to promote & support your friends.
Thanks Helen, yes, it was all to promote Dom and co. 🙂
Chocolate, fruit and ale – WOW!! and a huge thank you for such a wonderful idea!
mary x
Thanks Mary – this WAS a lovely cake, all gone now! Karen
Looks like a great cake, even though I’m not a lover of fruit cakes.
Thanks Sylvie! The ale and chocolate added a different dimension to this cake….
I actually have Eric Lanlard’s Cake Boy book of baked goodies and I’ve been wanted to try recipes from it – somehow I always end up with these books and never get around to trying the recipes! I’ve never been a huge fan of fruit cake, but this does look incredibly moist…
The chocolate ale in this cake makes it VERY special! I am sure this is a fruit cake you would love!
Beautiful photos – see your camera is good! I have not tried any of his recipes but will now go and set it up on record although I have missed a few! Cake looks great.
Thanks so much! My camera is not bad, need to get my Canon EOS fixed though!
Well done you, I am going to tweet it 🙂
Merci Solange ! 🙂
I have been looking for something to do with the gluten free ale I got given at Christmas. I’m not a big drinker and this looks perfect! Shared on g+