- Jul 15th 2020
- 0 comment
Tags: Recipes , Pastry; Cakes & Biscuits
Tools: Food Processors, Stand Mixers
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours
Serves 12
Â
Ingredients
- 250 g raw unsalted macadamias
- 200g pitted prunes - roughly choppedÂ
- 120g dried figs, trimmed and roughly chopped
- 200g seedless raisins
- 200 g sultanas
- 200 g currants
- 60ml bush honey
- Zest and Juice of 1 orangeÂ
- 185 ml brandy
- 185 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 110 g dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 225 g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground ginger
Topping
- 100g raw unsalted macadamias
- 40g pecans
- 140g figs, halved
- 75g pitted Medjool dates, cut into thirds
- 1 Tbs bush honey
Method
- Preheat oven 130C fan forced and arrange the oven shelves so that it is positioned in the bottom third of the oven.
- Grease and line the base and sides 22cm round cake tin with a double layer of baking paper, allowing the paper lining the sides to reach about 5 cm above the top of the tin.
- Place raisins, currents, sultanas, chopped prunes, chopped figs, and 50g of chopped macadamia nuts in a bowl add honey, orange juice, zest and brandy. Leave to soak overnight. Â
- In your stand mixer bowl, add your butter, sugar and vanilla extract and cream until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.Â
- Add soaked dried fruit and remaining 200g raw macadamia nuts and mix for 30 seconds.Â
- Add flour, baking powder and spices and mix until combined.Â
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface
- Tap cake tin 4 times on kitchen bench to remove any air pockets.
- Decorate the top with extra dried fruit and nuts.
- Wrap outside rim of cake tin in double layer of brown paper or cardboard. Secure with kitchen string.
- Cover the top of the Christmas cake cake with foil and bake 3 hours. Remove foil and bake a further 1 hour or until just cooked (skewer)
- Pour the remaining 60ml of brandy evenly over the top of the hot cake.
- Warm honey and drizzle over the top. Brush gently to spread evenly.
- Remove brown paper and trim or fold over any overhanging paper, cover the tin well with foil and then wrap the cake, still in the tin, in 2 tea towels.
- Cool overnight.
Baker’s tips
This Christmas cake will keep wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks. If you don’t use the nuts, it will last for up to 3 months
Choose a fragrant bush honey
Â
Tags: Recipes , Pastry; Cakes & Biscuits
Tools: Food Processors, Stand Mixers