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Sliced Irish porter cake on a ceramic plate showing dark dense crumb packed with dried fruit and warm spices

Irish Porter Cake with Stout, Dried Fruit, and Warm Spices

A traditional Irish porter cake made by simmering dried fruit in stout, then folding into a spiced batter. Dense, fruity, and deeply flavored.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fruit and stout base
  • 250 ml stout (such as Guinness)
  • 400 g mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants)
  • 150 g dark brown sugar
  • 125 g unsalted butter cut into cubes
Batter
  • 250 g self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten

Method
 

Make the fruit base
  1. Combine the stout, dried fruit, dark brown sugar, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Stir until the butter melts, then bring to a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has plumped and absorbed most of the liquid.
  3. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Spread out slightly and leave to cool for 30 minutes until barely warm to the touch.
Prepare the tin and oven
  1. Heat the oven to 160 C / 320 F. Grease a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin and line the base and sides with a double layer of parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang.
Mix and bake
  1. Sift the self-raising flour, mixed spice, cinnamon, and salt into the cooled fruit mixture.
  2. Add the beaten eggs and fold everything together with a spatula until no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick and heavy.
  3. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
  4. Bake for 90 to 100 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top darkens too quickly after 60 minutes, cover loosely with foil.
  5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Nutrition is estimated per slice based on 12 slices per loaf. Values will shift depending on the dried fruit mix and exact stout used.