Winston Churchill’s Fruit Loaf – I am sharing this just in time for the D Day 80 commemorations, which are coming up on the 6th June, 2024
A Vintage Recipe for D Day 80
This recipe for Winston Churchill’s Fruit Loaf is an adapted recipe that I discovered on The National Trust website, for Chartwell in Kent, Churchill’s old home.
I am sharing this just in time for the D Day 80 commemorations, which are coming up on the 6th June, 2024.
In our lovely little village on the Lincolnshire Wolds in England, we are having a street party, and I plan to make this tea loaf again, to take as part of our picnic.
Lincolnshire is often referred to as the Bomber County, as due to it’s close proximity to Germany, most of the airfields for the RAF, US and Commonwealth Air Forces were based here.
The original recipe for Winston Churchill’s Fruit Loaf suggested it was baked in a round cake tin. But, I baked it in a loaf tin, for ease of cutting at the street party.
Sadly I didn’t have any glacé cherries in my pantry when I made this, but I will add them next time I make this lovely, rich fruit cake.
You can serve this buttered, or even with a slice of cheese, which is the way we like to eat our fruit cake.
I added the black treacle, which was mentioned as optional, to add colour, flavour and richness to the cake.
I will also borrow some of the recipes which I made for the VE Day 75 celebrations. As well as from the Queen’s Jubilee and the King’s Coronation.
For more infotmation about the upcoming events for D Day 80, the Royal British Legion lists a lot of the events, as well as some of the veteran’s stories.
I hope you enjoy my slightly adapted version of Churchill’s Fruit Cake, and do let me know if you make it, Karen
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More Recipes for D Day 80
- Jubilee Vegetarian Stuffed Picnic Loaf
- Air Fryer Coronation Chicken Scotch Eggs
- Deep Dish Cheese & Tomato Flan
Recipe for Winston Churchill’s Fruit Loaf
Winston Churchill's Fruit Loaf
This recipe for Winston Churchill's Fruit Loaf is an adapted recipe that I discovered on The National Trust website, for Chartwell in Kent, Churchill's old home.
I am sharing this just in time for the D Day 80 commemorations, which are coming up on the 6th June, 2024.
In our lovely little village on the Lincolnshire Wolds in England, we are having a street party, and I plan to make this tea loaf again, to take as part of our picnic.
Lincolnshire is often referred to as the Bomber County, as due to it's close proximity to Germany, most of the airfields for the RAF, US and Commonwealth Air Forces were based here.
The original recipe for Winston Churchill's Fruit Loaf suggested it was baked in a round cake tin. But, I baked it in a loaf tin, for ease of cutting at the street party.
Sadly I didn't have any glacé cherries in my pantry when I made this, but I will add them next time I make this lovely, rich fruit cake.
You can serve this buttered, or even with a slice of cheese, which is the way we like to eat our fruit cake.
I added the black treacle, which was mentioned as optional, to add colour, flavour and richness to the cake.
I will also borrow some of the recipes which I made for the VE Day 75 celebrations. As well as from the Queen's Jubilee and the King's Coronation.
For more infotmation about the upcoming events for D Day 80, the Royal British Legion lists a lot of the events, as well as some of the veteran's stories.
I hope you enjoy my slightly adapted version of Churchill's Fruit Cake, and do let me know if you make it, Karen
Ingredients
- 150g dried mixed fruit
- 1 cup strong black tea
- 180g butter
- 125g dark brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 50g glacé cherries, halved
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tbsp black treacle (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the dried fruit in the tea, preferably overnight, to allow most of the tea to be absorbed.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan 140°C/gas mark 2) and grease and line a 2lb (900g) loaf tin.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale, scraping the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the mixture, and continue to cream together.
- Gradually beat the eggs into the mixture, adding a little flour to stop the mixture from splitting or curdling.
- Fold in the flour and add the mixed spice to the mixture.
- Add in the mixed fruit and glacé cherries and continue to fold together. If there is a little leftover tea from the mixed fruit, add it to the cake mixture along with the fruit. However, if there's a lot of tea left, drain the fruit before adding it. Continue to fold and stir, while adding the treacle.
- Once completely mixed together, scrape the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 1 to 1 and a half hours. To check that the cake is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean the cake is cooked through.
- Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Notes
The original recipe for a larger cake, baked in a round cake tin:
Churchill's fruit cake
This cake was one of Winston Churchill's favourites. It was baked by his longstanding cook, Georgina Landemare, who catered for him during the Second World War at Downing Street and then at his family home, Chartwell in Kent. This version of the fruit cake is inspired by Mrs Landemare's original recipe, which Churchill would have enjoyed.
• 20 minutes prep. time
• 1½-2 hours cooking time
• Serves 12
Ingredients:
• 280g dried mixed fruit
• 2 cups strong black tea
• 225g butter
• 170g dark brown sugar
• 5 eggs
• 285g self-raising flour
• 110g glacé cherries, halved
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tbsp black treacle (optional)
Step 1 Soak the dried fruit in the tea, preferably overnight, to allow most of the tea to be absorbed.
Step 2 Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan 140°C/gas mark 2) and grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin.
Step 3 Cream together the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale, scraping the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the mixture, and continue to cream together.
Step 4 Gradually beat the eggs into the mixture, adding a little flour to stop the mixture from splitting or curdling.
Step 5 Fold in the flour and add the mixed spice to the mixture.
Step 6 Add in the mixed fruit and glacé cherries and continue to fold together. If there is a little leftover tea from the mixed fruit, add it to the cake mixture along with the fruit. However, if there's a lot of tea left, drain the fruit before adding it. Continue to fold and stir, while adding the treacle.
Step 7 Once completely mixed together, scrape the mixture into the cake tin and leave to bake for 2 hours. To check that the cake is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean the cake is cooked through.
Step 8 Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. Finish with a light dusting of caster sugar.
Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 281Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 95mgSodium 379mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 1gSugar 14gProtein 4g
Sharon Jadick says
American here.. what would mixed spice be? Not familiar with the term. I love your “tea” recipes.. My fiance is Irish and I love surprising him with foods that his hran would make. Thanks for any clarification you can give me on what the equivalent of mixed spice would be.
Sharon Jadick
Karen Burns-Booth says
I’ve got a recipe here for mixed spice, allspice won’t be a good substitute as it’s too overpowering. Karen
https://www.lavenderandlovage.com/2011/10/gifts-in-a-jar-mixed-spice-old-fashioned-english-pudding-spice.html
Gill says
You can use ground allspice instead.
sherry says
I have a great recipe where you soak a kilo of dried fruit in 2 cups of coffee! So delicious. I bet your cake is lovely. Have a happy D Day 80 street party.
cheers
sherry
Karen Burns-Booth says
Love the sound of that Sherry!
Mary says
Similar question: what would the mixed fruits include? I assume they are dried fruits! Here in the States, there is lots of what is called “candied fruit”. I am assuming that this is not what is called for in this recipe? Any suggestions? We have access to many dried fruits – but when I do my Christmas Plum Pudding I always used what the Brits might call “glace”. Thanks so much for your lovely recipes
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hello Mary
Mixed dried fruit is usually the following:
Raisins 30%
Sultanas 30%
Currants 25%
Candied peel 15%
I hope that helps!
Karen
Suzy says
Made the Churchill cake and wanted to say how lovely it is. Thank you for another lovely recipe.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m delighted you enjoyed the cake 🙂
Victoria White says
Hi Karen,
Should the fruit be soaked in hot or cold tea, or does it not matter?
Thanks Victoria
Karen Burns-Booth says
It doesn’t really matter, but I prefer to use hot tea.