CHRISTMAS CAKE
A rich fruitcake is hard to beat for Christmas. Though our recipe may look complicated at a first glance, it is, in fact,
very easy if you prepare and weigh all the ingredients and line the tin before you start.
Makes one 25 cm round cake • Preparation time 30 minutes plus overnight soaking time for fruit and 30 minutes
icing the cake • Cooking time 1 hour 30 minutes
215 g (7½ oz/1¼ cups) sultanas (golden raisins)
195 g (6¾ oz/1⅓ cups) currants
150 g (5½ oz/⅔ cups) pitted prunes, halved
110 g (3¾ oz/⅔ cups) mixed peel (mixed candied citrus peel), home-made or best quality store-bought
120 g (4¼ oz/⅔ cups) raisins
1 apple, peeled, cored and grated
4 tablespoons marmalade
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) brandy
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
150 g (5½/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon salt
125 g (4½ oz) butter, softened
125 g (4½ oz/⅔ cup, lightly packed) light brown sugar
90 g (3¼ oz/¼ cup) golden syrup (light treacle)
3 eggs, at room temperature
100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) almond meal
ICING
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ready-made marzipan
3 tablespoons apricot jam, heated and sieved
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ready-made fondant
1 egg white
In a large ceramic or glass bowl, combine the sultanas, currants, prunes, mixed peel, raisins, apple, marmalade,
brandy, citrus zests and juices and soak overnight at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F). Lightly grease and line the base and side of a 25 cm (10 inch) round cake tin
with several layers of baking paper.
Sift the flour, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt together.
Using an electric mixer with a beater attachment, cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Mix in the
golden syrup, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently fold in the sifted ingredients
and almond meal. Finally, fold in the fruit mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and smooth the surface. Bake for approximately 1½ hours, or until a skewer
inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Cool completely in the tin. Remove the cake from the tin, and wrap in baking paper and foil. Keep in a cool dark
place until ready to eat.
To ice the cake, trim the top to ensure it is flat, and patch any holes on the cake with marzipan. Knead the
marzipan until smooth, roll out to a 6 mm (¼ inch) thickness, and cut out a 25 cm (10 inch) circle. Brush the top of
the cake with the warmed and sieved apricot jam. Place the marzipan on top of the cake, pressing down until
smooth. Knead and roll out the fondant to the same thickness and cut out another 25 cm (10 inch) circle. Lightly
brush the marzipan with the lightly beaten egg white and finish off with the fondant layer.
Decorate as desired.
Notes: This cake can be made 3-4 months ahead and left un-iced. Once iced, store in an airtight container for up
to 1 month.
The Cook + Baker by Cherie Bevan and Tass Tauroa (Murdoch Books, £20). Photography by Chris Chen.