Traditional Christmas cake

 

 

Impress your guests with this traditional Christmas cake

 

Ingredients

• 1kg mixed dried fruit
• 1/2 cup mixed peel
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup chopped dried figs
• 100g glacé cherries
• 3/4 cup brandy or rum
• 250g butter, at room temperature, chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup walnuts
• 3 x 500g pkts ready-made white icing (fondant)
• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• Cachous

• Method

1. Step 1
   Place all the dried fruit and brandy into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine well. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight (or for at least 4 hrs) for the fruit to soak. When you are ready to make the cake, preheat oven to 150°C or 130°C fan. Lightly grease a 23cm round tin, and line the base and side with baking paper, extending the paper 4 to 5cm above the top.
2. Step 2
   Using electric beaters, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Don’t worry if the mixture appears curdled at this point. Add to the bowl with fruit and sift the flours, bicarb and spices over. Using a large metal spoon or rubber spatula, fold together, then fold in the walnuts.
3. Step 3
   Spoon into prepared tin and tap tin firmly on a work bench several times to settle batter and expel any air pockets. Smooth top with a rubber spatula. Wrap a triple layer of brown paper or newspaper around the tin, securing with kitchen string. Bake for 3 hrs on the lowest shelf in the oven, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely in the tin before turning out.
4. Step 4
   To decorate cake, place upside down onto a work board or serving platter so that the base becomes the top of the cake. Take one packet of the fondant icing and pinch off small pieces to fill any gaps in the surface so it is smooth. Wrap remaining icing in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. Warm apricot jam in a small saucepan or in the microwave and press through a sieve to remove solids. Brush all over cake.
5. Step 5
   Knead the other two packets of fondant icing together until pliable (microwave briefly if necessary according to packet directions). Roll out on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, until about 5 to 7mm thick. Place over cake and smooth out with your hands, particularly down the sides to the base. Use a small sharp knife to trim off any excess icing.
6. Step 6
   Roll out reserved icing to 3mm thick and cut out strips 1.5cm wide. Use to decorate cake as shown. Press cachous onto the strips. Tie a ribbon around the side of cake, securing with pins. (taste.com.au)