This Christmas cake is packed with a wonderful range of dried fruits, soaked in orange juice and alcohol (optional) plus nuts to provide a crunchy bite. It's super easy to make ahead and then decorate on Christmas Eve.
1 round or square baking tin approximately 20cm diameter or 20cm square
1 baking/greaseproof paper
1 Baking foil
Ingredients
Soaked Fruit
125gChopped dried figsensure wood stalks are removed
75gchopped dried apricots
125gchopped pitted dates
75gdried cranberries
250gsultanas
1largeorangezest grated and juiced
50mlrum, honey mead, brandy or alcohol of choiceoptional
For the Cake
140gbutter
140gdark brown sugar
1 1/2tbspgolden syrup or black treacle
2eggs
50gunsalted pistachios (shelled)
175gplain flour
3/4tspground cinnamon
1/2tspground nutmeg
3/4tspmixed spice
40gground almond (meal)
Instructions
For Soaked Fruit
Add all of the dried fruit, orange juice and zest and alcohol into a large mixing bowl. Mix well and cover with clingfilm to soak overnight.
For the cake
Preheat the oven to 140C.
Grease and line baking tin with baking paper. See note below
Beat butter and sugar either by hand or with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add the syrup, then gradually beat in the eggs one at a time.
Stir the pistachios into the dried fruit mixture.
Combine the sifted flour, ground almond and spices.
Add the fruit mix, alternating with the flour/spices to the butter and sugar mixture.
Get everyone to have a go at stirring and make a wish!
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, levelling the top off with a spoon.
Bake in the oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.
Check on the cake after about an 1 1/2 hours - if the top is browning too quickly, place a sheet of baking paper over the top of the cake to avoid it burning.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin before turning out.
Wrap the cake in two layers of greaseproof paper, followed by a layer of foil.
Keep the cake in an airtight container, in a cool place. The cake can be made up to three months in advance.
Feed the cake regularly by unwrapping, and making holes in the top and dropping small measures of alcohol into the holes. Rewrap and store again.
When ready to serve, spread apricot jam on the top and sides of the cake. Encase the cake with rolled marzipan, followed by royal icing.
Get the kids to come up with ideas to decorate the top, or decorate with Christmas themes using fondant icing or cake decorations.
Notes
Notes:To line the cake tin: Draw around the base of the cake tin onto some folded double greaseproof paper and cut out two circles or squares. Measure the circumference or outer edge of the tin and cut a length of greaseproof paper to fit. Fold the paper in half to make a long rectangle. On the folded edge, make another fold about 2.5cm deep. Then make snips with scissors along this fold every 2cms.Grease the base and sides of the tin. Slot in the long folded paper with the folded-slotted edge lining the base of the tin, with the larger piece of paper lining the sides of the tin. The slots will help the paper lie flat, particularly in a round tin. Layer the two circles of baking paper on the base of the tin. Rub some butter over the uppermost sheet.The long rectangle strip of baking paper should come well above the height of the tin. This will help protect the top of the cake from burning. If however, when you are baking the cake you notice the top is browning too quickly, place another circle of baking paper of the top to help protect it.
Keyword celebration cake, Christmas cake, fruit and nut cake, fruit cake, special occasion cake