If you like a good fruit loaf, you’re in for a treat with this chocolate ale fruit cake. It’s virtually fat-free and is tangy and moist with a nice chewy texture. Serve it with a wedge of cheese for a lunchtime special. It’s also delicious toasted with butter.
Baking Mad
In case anyone hasn’t heard, there is a new series of Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard coming to Channel 4. It started yesterday on 5 March at 12:05 and will run every day for 4 weeks.
Each 30 minute episode will feature three members of the public. They’ll attend his cookery school, Cake Boy, to demonstrate their baking skills and take part in a “Bake Off”. Our very own Dom of Belleau Kitchen will be featuring on 15 March.
Chocolate Ale Fruit Cake
So that I can share in the fun, I’m baking one of Eric’s recipes developed especially for the series. Amazingly I still had some chocolate ale left over from the triple chocolate ale brownies I made a year ago and even more amazingly it was still potable.
Taking this as a good omen I decided to have a go at making this chocolate ale fruit cake. Baking Mad provided the flour, sugar and my chosen recipe. Although, I did, of course, tinker with the latter somewhat.
The fruit loaf is really easy to make. But it does take a bit of time. Not hands on time, but fruit soaking time. The longer you can leave the dried fruit to soak in the chocolate ale, so much the better. Overnight to 24 hours is a good bet.
Unusually for a cake, this fruit loaf is virtually fat-free. The only fat going in to the mix is from the duck eggs, there is no butter or oil. This does mean it’s a good excuse to slather it with butter after it’s baked. It’s particularly good toasted and also goes nicely with a slab of cheese.
I baked the chocolate ale fruit loaf in a brick shaped mould. It could be this along with its robust tasting nature, that made me think of if it as perfect for sustaining the workers. It certainly sustained us.
We’d been working particularly hard down on the plot. CT reckoned, “it was probably good with a nice mug of builder’s tea (or chocolate ale even) for elevenses after a long session digging over the beds. Especially if brought out wrapped in waxed paper from a pair of overalls”.
Duck Eggs
Hooray, duck eggs are back in season! As regular readers will have gathered, I do love baking with duck eggs. Head over to this duck egg post to find the reason why.
You don’t have to use duck eggs for this recipe of course, large hens eggs will be fine. But it is worth seeking some out if you are able.
Other Beer Recipes You Might Like
- Beer battered tofish n chips
- Black velvet cheesecake swirl brownies
- Chocolate Guiness cake
- Chocolate raisin & ale cake
- Mini mushroom pies
- Triple chocolate ale brownies
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this chocolate ale fruit loaf, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more loaf cake recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious, of course.
Choclette x
Chocolate Ale Fruit Loaf. PIN IT.
Chocolate Ale Fruit Cake – The Recipe
Chocolate Ale Fruit Loaf
Ingredients
- 390 g dried mixed fruit of your choice (I used mostly raisins, but some pineapple & some papaya).
- 250 ml chocolate ale or beer of your choice
- 100 g dark muscovado sugar
- 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 85 g self-raising flour (self-rising flour)
- 100 g self-raising wholemeal flour (self-rising whole-wheat flour)
- 3 tsp mixed spice (my mix was allspice, cinnamon, mace, cloves & cayenne)
Instructions
- The day before baking, place the dried fruit in a bowl with the chocolate ale. Give it a good stir, cover with a plate and leave in a warm place to soak.
- The next day, stir in the sugar, then beat in the eggs.
- Sift in the flours and spices, then fold in to the fruit mix.
- Pour the batter into a buttered 21.5 x 11 cm silicone loaf mould, or lined tin. Bake at 140℃ (275℉, Gas 1) for 1.5 hrs or until risen, golden in colour and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve sliced with butter or a good wedge of cheese.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
I was sent some of the ingredients to make this chocolate ale fruit cake. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions are, all always, my own. Thanks to my readers for supporting the brands and organisations that help to keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging.
celia says
How nice that you’re back to duck eggs! And the cake looks great – I’m a bit hooked on Muscovado sugar at the moment.. 🙂
Johanna GGG says
that last photo looks like a brick which makes it seem dense and crunchy on the outside (not that I have ever eaten a brick) but the first one looks moist and full of good stuff – could you taste the chocolate?
Jacqueline says
That looks really wonderful Choclette and I like the thought of chocolate ale in it. I just posted a recipe from the series too. I picked the same one as Janice, funnily enough. I am looking forward to Dom’s debut next week too!
Choclette says
Thanks Jac. It’s funny how we seem to be going for the same recipes. Karen’s doing this one too!
cakeboule says
Well this is a great cake! Certainly a solid will travel well and be enjoyed experience.
Choclette says
Yes, it’s currently going in CTs lunch boxes to sustain him through his 15 hour days!
C says
Sounds great! I keep meaning to try baking with booze – perhaps not chocolate ale, but stout or similar. I’m put off by having leftovers though – I’m not a big drinker!
Choclette says
It should keep C if you don’t use it all in one bake. Weirdly, I was just thinking it was time I paid you a visit when your comment popped up!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
I think that I possibly have a bottle of the same chocolate ale, from the same brownies from last year. Although I might have made a casserole with it. Possibly.
The underside of your loaf does look remarkably brick like, all down to the loaf tin of course.
Choclette says
Take it you’re not an ale drinker either then Helen. I am so ridiculously unobservant, I didn’t notice it looked like a brick until it was pointed out – doh!
Javelin Warrior says
Thanks for sharing this and letting us know about Dom – I actually have a the Cake Boy cookbook by Eric Lanlard so I’m keep to hear more about this… 🙂
Choclette says
I don’t have that one, but am hoping I might be getting it as a thank you for doing this post!
Xinmei @ Pudding Pie Lane says
Wow – congrats to Dom! Also, I never know of chocolate ale before, that sounds delicious!
Choclette says
Xinmei, I’m not much of a beer drinker, but I did enjoy a glass of this one 🙂
thelittleloaf says
Looks like a lovely loaf! I’m not a big fan of ale to drink but it does work well in cooking (I use it to soak fruit for hot cross buns). Love the idea of chocolate ale – definitely one to try!
Choclette says
Alcohol generally works better for me in cooking, but I did have a glass of this ale and it was very nice. Your hot cross buns sound delicious – any particular type of beer?
avillagepantry says
You had me at pineapple, then papaya. I gave up at chocolate ale. Where can I buy this? 😉
Choclette says
We could do a swap – a slice of green tea loaf for a slice of this!
Choclette says
Laura, you’ve got it in one 😉
Lauralovescakes says
I didn’t even realise there was such a thing as chocolate ale! Who needs a tea loaf when you can have an alcohol loaf! 🙂
Kit @ i-lostinausten says
Wow! Another fantastic recipe with an appetizing & original brick look! Sounds really amazing !
Choclette says
Thanks, you made me laugh. Have never really thought of a brick looking appetising before!
Kit @ i-lostinausten says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kit @ i-lostinausten says
Oh gosh! Just pressed the wrong button & my last comment is gone! These bricky looking Chocolate ale cake looks tasty to me especially when there’s ale in it!
Green Dragonette says
I’ve never seen this programme but if Dom is on it we mustn’t miss it!!
Choclette says
Ha ha, indeed not. He’s on the 15th March apparently.
A Trifle Rushed says
Mmmm! Chocolate ale, fruit and cake, I think I could live on this. I haven’t seen Baking Mad, I’ll see if I can find it on whatever Channel 4’s catch up is!
Choclette says
Think it’s 4OD Jude. Unfortunately our broadband isn’t up to playing that very well, so am hoping it will be alright on the night!
Chele says
Ohhhhh – now I’ve seen your post I’m kinda wishing I had picked that from the list of recipes lol. Its looking ultra tasty I must say. Lets hope my ice cream turns out just as well as your loaf has for Baking Mad!
Choclette says
Swap some of your ice-cream for a slice or two of this? You make great ice-cream – it will be delicious Chele.
laura@howtocookgoodfood says
I do love a good fruit loaf but this is on another level. Chocolate Ale I am now desperate to try not only in the recipe but to drink too…..sounds intriguing and surely would be the perfect tipple to accompany such a fruit laden loaf! Love all the spices you have used too xx
Choclette says
I’m not a great beer drinker Laura, but I did manage a whole glass of this one. It was actually rather nice and is great in baking. Robust spices for a robust cake 😉
Lucy, Vanilla Frost says
Chocolate ale? Sounds interesting! I’m off to set up Sky Plus for 12.05. When is Dom on? The cake looks great.
Choclette says
Thanks, Dom is on show on 15th March – so he tells me! I’ve updated the post now to reflect this.
Dom at Belleau Kitchen says
just think of the tasty house you could build with bricks like that!
Choclette says
Trouble is, it wouldn’t last very long Dom – either that or it would get mouldy!
Charlotte Pike says
This looks great – what a fine specimen your loaf is. I must try and track down some chocolate ale now…
Choclette says
Thank you Charlotte and good luck. It’s not the easiest thing to get hold of, but then you are in London 🙂