Porter cake is a dense, richly flavored fruit cake made using porter or stout — a dark beer with deep malt character. Once a staple of 18th- and 19th-century working-class kitchens, porter was named for the London porters who favoured it. Traditional porter is brewed from darker, slightly roasted malts, producing a nearly black beer with a characteristic bitterness that complements dried fruit and spices in baking. This porter cake is straightforward to make, stores well, and improves with a few days of resting.
In the Victorian era, stronger varieties were labelled “Extra Porter,” “Double Porter” (XX), or “Stout Porter,” the last of which was eventually shortened to “stout.” Modern stouts such as Guinness or Murphy’s can be used in this recipe if porter is unavailable. If using a robust stout, you may wish to dilute it slightly with water to better match the lighter flavour of traditional porter.
For best texture and flavour, wrap the cooled cake in greaseproof paper and foil and store it in an airtight tin for at least a few days to mature. Because the alcohol and sugar act as natural preservatives, this cake keeps well in a cool place for weeks, making it ideal for gifting or keeping on hand for unexpected guests.
Porter Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 175g butter
- 100g currants
- 100g sultanas
- 100g raisins
- 100g dates, chopped
- 60g mixed candied citrus peel
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 190g soft brown sugar (muscovado)
- 300ml porter or stout
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 320g plain flour, sifted
- 2 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the topping:
- 50g flaked almonds
- 20g soft brown sugar (muscovado)
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan). Grease and line the base of a large, deep cake tin with baking paper.
Place the butter, mixed dried fruit, orange zest and juice, sugar and porter in a large saucepan. Gently bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the butter melts. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Stir the beaten eggs into the cooled fruit mixture. Fold in the sifted flour, baking powder and mixed spice until you have a thick but still pourable batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and level the top with the back of a spoon.
Mix the flaked almonds with the extra 20g of soft brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the cake. Press the almonds lightly into the batter so they sit just below the surface.
Bake for about 90 minutes, checking from 75 minutes onward; a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with foil for the remaining baking time. Take care not to overbake, as this will dry the cake.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out and remove the lining paper. Cool completely on a wire rack. For the best flavour and texture, store the cake in an airtight tin for a couple of days before serving. Porter cake keeps wrapped in foil inside a lidded tin for several weeks in a cool place. Serve in thin slices, plain or with a light spread of butter.
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Below are historical notes from Victorian sources that describe porter and a related recipe from the 19th century.
‘Cyclopædia of Commerce’ By William Waterston, J. H. Burton, Published 1844
Porter, or strong beer, is described as a potent, clear liquor of a brownish colour. It is brewed similarly to ale, but the malt is dried at higher temperatures so it darkens and attains a slightly burnt, bitter note. Varieties were distinguished by names and marks: “mild beer” for newly brewed ale, “entire” for beer made to keep, and “brown stout” for a strong porter. Strengths were sometimes marked with X, XX or XXX. London was the main centre of production, though Dublin porter was also well regarded. In later years, public taste shifted toward mild ale, and some London brewers adjusted their production accordingly.
A Victorian pepper-cake recipe using porter illustrates how the beer was a common baking ingredient:
‘The Young Englishwoman’s Recipe-Book’ Published 1867
A Pepper-Cake: Quarter stone of flour, two pounds treacle, two ounces pearl ash dissolved in a pint of old ale or porter, three-quarters ounce caraway seeds, the same of coriander and Jamaica pepper, one ounce ground ginger, four ounces butter, half pound sugar, two glasses brandy; mix the seasonings and leave the cake to rest overnight before baking.
