Old Bust Head Winter Warmer Infused Fruit Cake

Recipe & Photos by Kaitlin Hill 

Old Bust Head’s Back Country Winter Warmer is the perfect beer for chilly weather, and just begs to be put into a similarly spiced holiday fruit cake! The beer’s notes of malts, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and dark fruit work wonderfully with the cake’s spiced batter and cranberries, cherries, and raisins. Plus, the addition of Winter Warmer gives the cake a little boost of moisture and added hints of toffee, chocolate, and coffee. You can serve this cake at room temperature or warm, but for cooler nights it’s best served still steaming, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of crème anglaise. However, you serve it this holiday season, it’s a lovely British-inspired cake to pair with a decadent British style dark ale!
 

Ingredients:

2 sticks of unsalted butter 
1 cup of dark brown sugar, packed 
Zest of one orange 
12 ounces of Old Bust Head Winter Warmer 
3 cups of mixed dried fruit (I used cranberries, cherries, and raisins) 
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3 ½ cups of all-purpose flour 
½ teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder 
1 teaspoon of salt 
1 teaspoon of cinnamon 
¼ teaspoon of all spice
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
¼ teaspoon of cloves
¼ teaspoon of ginger
3 eggs 
 

Directions:

Measure out all ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch Bundt pan or springform pan. I also add a circle of parchment to the bottom to help the cake release.

In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, orange zest, and Winter Warmer together. Stir until the butter is completely melted and the sugar is dissolved. Then bring to a boil for three minutes. 

Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and add the dried fruit. 

Cook for three minutes until the fruit has absorbed some of the liquid and is plumper. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

While the liquid cools, place the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl and whisk together. 

Add in the cooled beer liquid and the vanilla. With a spatula, mix until just combined.

Crack the eggs in a separate bowl and whisk.

Add the eggs to the dough and fold in gently. Keep folding with a spatula until the eggs are completely incorporated.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and place in the preheated oven to bake for 45 – 60 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Once baked, let cool slightly in the pan before turning out on to your serving platter and dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature, whichever you prefer!