Rules and Regulations

1. The entrant must follow the recipe and specifications provided below.

2. Each cake entered must be the bona fide work of the exhibitor.

3. Professionals are not eligible, which is defined as someone that works professionally or derives the greater percentage of their income in that craft, art form or technique.

4. The Rich Fruit Cake competition follows the three levels of competition: Show Level, Group Level and State Level.

5. An exhibitor having won at their local Show will bake another cake for the 2025 Group Final and then the winner of the Group Final will bake another cake for the State Final at the 2025 Melbourne Royal Show.

6. An exhibitor having won at Show Level is not eligible to enter the VAS Rich Fruit Cake Competition at any other show until after the Group Final judging.

7. An exhibitor is only eligible to represent one Group in the State Final.

8. If for any reason a winner is unable to compete at Group or State Final Level, then the second placegetter is eligible to compete.

9. If an exhibitor is found to have won more than one Group Final the exhibitor must forfeit/refund all prizes and will be disqualified from exhibiting for 12 months.

10. The State Final prizes are:

First: $300.00 Spotlight Voucher & VAS State Final Trophy

Second: $150.00 Spotlight Voucher

Third: $50.00 Spotlight Voucher

Recipe

Ingredients – Preferred 100% Australian Grown Produce

  • 250g sultanas

  • 250g chopped raisins

  • 250g currants

  • 125g chopped mixed peel

  • 90g chopped red glace cherries

  • 90g chopped blanched almonds

  • 1/3 cup sherry or brandy

  • 250g plain flour

  • 60g self-raising flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 250g butter

  • 250g soft brown sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon essence OR finely grated lemon rind

  • 1/2 teaspoon almond essence

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

  • 4 large eggs

Method

Cut the fruit & almonds into 3-4 pieces and mix together all the fruits and nuts and sprinkle with the sherry or brandy. Cover and leave for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.

Sift together the flours and spices. Cream together the butter and sugar with the essences. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and then alternately add the fruit and flour mixtures. Mix thoroughly. The mixture should be stiff enough to support a wooden spoon.

Place the mixture into a prepared tin 20 cm square, straight sided, square cornered tin and bake in a slow oven for approximately 3½ - 4 hours. Allow the cake to cool in the tin.