Celebration fruit cakes

Mix it up this Christmas with these easy festive cakes, loaded with dried fruit and topped with rich icing.

Super Food Ideas

Photography by Mark O'Meara

Fruit cake

• 400g butter, chopped
• 2 x 375g packets dried mixed fruit
• 2 cups dried pitted dates, chopped
• 1 cup pitted prunes, chopped
• 1 cup glace cherries, halved
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup brandy
• 1/3 cup orange and mandarin marmalade
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups plain flour
• 2/3 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon mixed spice

Icing

• 1 1/3 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
• 2 x 500g packets ready-made white icing
• 2 tablespoons apricot jam, warmed, sieved
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• Icing snowflakes and cachous, to decorate

1. Step 1
   Grease eight 7cm-deep, 10cm round (base) cake pans. Line bases and sides with 2 layers of baking paper.
2. Step 2
   To make fruit cake: Place butter, dried mixed fruit, dates, prunes, cherries, cranberries, brandy, marmalade, golden syrup and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda. Cool completely.
3. Step 3
   Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan-forced. Line bases and sides with 3 layers of baking paper. Stir egg into fruit mixture. Sift over flours and mixed spice. Stir to combine. Divide evenly into prepared pans. Level tops.
4. Step 4
   Divide mixture evenly between prepared pans.
5. Step 5
   Bake for 2 hours or until a small sharp knife inserted in centre of each cake comes out clean (cover with foil if overbrowning). Wrap pans in foil. Turn onto a board. Cool completely.
6. Step 6
   Remove cakes from pans and place on a board. Lightly dust a flat surface with 1 tablespoon of the icing sugar. Knead icing until smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll out one quarter of the icing until 8mm thick. Using a 10.5cm round cutter, cut 2 rounds from icing. Brush top of 2 cakes lightly with jam. Carefully place icing rounds on cakes pressing gently to secure. Repeat with remaining cakes and icing, re-rolling scraps.
7. Step 7
   Using a fork, beat egg white in a bowl until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining icing sugar until combined. Stir in lemon juice. Spoon icing into a snap-lock bag. Snip off 1 corner. Attach snowflakes and cachous with a little icing. Allow to set. Serve.
   Super Food Ideas - December 2011 , Page 34
   Recipe by Claire Brookman