Delia Smith’s Dundee Cake is a delightful treat, blending orange and lemon zest, currants, sultanas, cherries, and mixed peel for a rich medley of flavors. Baked for 1¾ hours, it achieves a firm, springy center. Perfect for gatherings, this recipe promises a delicious cake that improves over time.
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🧡 Why You’ll Love This Dundee Cake Recipe:
- Zesty Eruption: Immerse your taste buds in a burst of citrus with the tantalizing combination of orange and lemon zest, creating a refreshing symphony.
- Crunch Symphony: Elevate your indulgence with the delightful crunch of whole blanched almonds, adding a nutty symphony to each delectable bite.
- Golden Sweetness Mastery: Experience perfection as the golden caster sugar orchestrates a flawless balance, enhancing sweetness to an exquisite degree in this culinary masterpiece.
❓ What Is Delia Smith Dundee Cake Recipe?
Delia Smith’s Dundee Cake is a delightful fruitcake made with plain flour, spreadable butter, golden caster sugar, eggs, and a mix of currants, sultanas, cherries, mixed peel, and ground almonds. The inclusion of citrus zest and whole blanched almonds creates a uniquely flavorful experience.

🍊 Delia Smith Dundee Cake Ingredients
- grated zest of 1 orange
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 225g plain flour
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- 150g spreadable butter
- 150g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 dessertspoon milk, if needed
- 175g currants
- 175g sultanas
- 50g glace cherries, rinsed dried and cut into halves
- 50g mixed candied peel, finely chopped
- 2 level tablespoons ground almonds
For the topping:
- 60g whole blanched almonds
🥮 How To Make Delia Smith Dundee Cake
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing basin, lifting the sieve high to air the flour.
- Add butter, caster sugar, and eggs and mix with an electric hand whisk for 1–2 minutes until smooth drop consistency. Add a dessertspoon of milk if dry.
- Stir in currants, sultanas, cherries, mixed peel, crushed almonds, and orange and lemon zest.
- Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and smooth it out with the back of the spoon.
- Place the whole almonds in concentric circles on top, but softly push them down so they don’t disappear during cooking.
- Bake cake in the center of the oven for 1¾ hours until the center is firm and springy to touch.
- Remove it from the tin after cooling. Dundee cake tastes better after a few days in an airtight container.
💭 Recipe Tips:
- Airing Elegance: Elevate your baking finesse by sifting flour with a high lift, allowing it to dance through the sieve, creating a lighter, more delicate texture.
- Gentle Nestle: When adorning your creation with whole almonds, employ a soft push, ensuring they snugly nestle into the batter, promising a delightful crunch post-bake.

🍨 What To Serve With Dundee Cake?
Serve Dundee Cake with hot tea, vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of caramel , citrus compote, a mixed berry salad, or opt for a cozy chai latte. aso you can keep it light with fruit-infused water or zesty lemon sorbet.
🎚 How To Store Leftovers Dundee Cake?
- In the fridge: Place Leftovers Dundee Cake in an airtight container and store for one week.
- In the freezer: Keep Leftovers Dundee Cake Freezer-bag for up to three months.
🥵 How To Reheat Leftovers Dundee Cake?
- In the oven: To reheat Leftovers Dundee Cake in the oven, preheat to 300°F and place Leftovers Dundee Cake on a baking sheet and warm for 10 minutes.
- In the microwave: place Leftovers Dundee Cake on a microwave-safe plate and Heat on medium power for 20 seconds.
- In the Air Fryer: Set the air fryer to 350°F and warm Leftovers Dundee Cake for 5 minutes.
FAQ’S
What Makes Dundee Cake Crunchy?
The crunch in Dundee Cake comes from the whole blanched almonds placed on top before baking. These almonds add a delightful nutty texture, creating a satisfying crunch in every bite.
What Type Of Flour Is Used In Dundee Cake?
Dundee Cake uses plain flour the choice of plain flour contributes to the cake’s texture, ensuring a balanced and desirable consistency.
Can I Add Extra Milk If The Batter Is Too Dry?
If the batter for your Dundee Cake appears dry, you can incorporate an additional dessertspoon of milk. This addition helps achieve a smoother and more desirable consistency.
Can I Add Extra Fruits For A More Fruity Flavor?
You can experiment by adding extra fruits to intensify the fruity flavor, be mindful of maintaining the overall balance for the best results.
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Delia Smith Dundee Cake Nutrition Fact
- Calories: 384
- Total Fat: 15.2g
- Saturated fat: 3.9g
- Monounsaturated fat: 7.4g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 3.1g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Carbohydrates: 56.8g
- Net carbs: 53.7g
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Glucose: 45.8g
- Protein: 5.2g

Delia Smith Dundee Cake
Description
Delia Smith’s Dundee Cake is a delightful treat, blending orange and lemon zest, currants, sultanas, cherries, and mixed peel for a rich medley of flavors. Baked for 1¾ hours, it achieves a firm, springy center. Perfect for gatherings, this recipe promises a delicious cake that improves over time.
Ingredients
For the topping:
Instructions
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing basin, lifting the sieve high to air the flour.
- Add butter, caster sugar, and eggs and mix with an electric hand whisk for 1–2 minutes until smooth drop consistency. Add a dessertspoon of milk if dry.
- Stir in currants, sultanas, cherries, mixed peel, crushed almonds, and orange and lemon zest.
- Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and smooth it out with the back of the spoon.
- Place the whole almonds in concentric circles on top, but softly push them down so they don’t disappear during cooking.
- Bake cake in the center of the oven for 1¾ hours until the center is firm and springy to touch.
- Remove it from the tin after cooling. Dundee cake tastes better after a few days in an airtight container.
Notes
- Airing Elegance: Elevate your baking finesse by sifting flour with a high lift, allowing it to dance through the sieve, creating a lighter, more delicate texture.
Gentle Nestle: When adorning your creation with whole almonds, employ a soft push, ensuring they snugly nestle into the batter, promising a delightful crunch post-bake.