Scottish Black Bun

This stuff is the mack daddy of christmas cakes. It is the fruit cake all other fruit cakes wish they could be. As the name suggests this is one serious fruit cake - a black, fruit dense filling encased with short pastry.
It looks kinda like a pie until you cut it open to reveal the intense black fruit filling.

Unfortunately i can't show you a picture of the inside as it needs to mature for a few weeks to really develop the flavours. But i found this one online which shows you what it will look like.

Pretty impressive isn't it? A similar texture and flavour to traditional christmas pudding. If you're a fruit cake lover you will love this cake. You need to make this cake!

Black Bun

Pastry

2 1/2 C flour

1/2 t baking powder

150g butter

Filling

3/4C flour

1/2 teaspoon (t) nutmeg

1/2 t ground coriander

1/2 t mixed spice

1 t cinnamon

1 t ground ginger

1/2 C brown sugar

3 2/3 C raisins

1 1/2 C sultanas

2 1/3 C currants

1/2 C mixed peel

2/3 C chopped almonds

2 t grated lemon rind

2 eggs

2 T brandy

3 T treacle

2 T milk

Make the pastry by combining the flour, baking powder and butter in the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the egg and mix until the mixture forms a soft dough ball. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.

In the meantime in a bowl coat the dried fruit in the flour ( this stops the fruit sinking to the bottom of the cake). Add all the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Yum looks good doesn't it?

Take the wrapped dough out the fridge and cut into 3 pieces. Line a cake tin with baking paper and roll out the 1st piece of dough to fit into the base of the tin. Then roll out the second piece into a long strip to form the sides of the cake. With your fingers press the dough together where the sides and base meet,

Pour the filling into the pastry lined cake tin.

Top with the last piece of rolled pastry and with your fingers press the edges of the cake together so the sides are well sealed with the top. Prick the top with a fork.

 Then brush the top of the cake with egg white and bake in the oven at 150 degrees C for 2- 2 1/2 hrs until the cake is golden brown.

I hope you will give this one a go. It is a real star and lasts for months if stored in a cool dry place.

Feeling festive yet?