Name: Muscovado Christmas fruitcake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 225 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: Muscovado christmas fruitcake; 300 gram butter, chopped; 600 gram chopped mixed glace fruit; 2 cup (320g) dried pitted dates, chopped; 2/3 cup (160ml) rum, plus extra, for brushing; 1/3 cup (115g) golden syrup; 1 1/3 cup (295g) firmly packed muscovado sugar; 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; 6 eggs, lightly beaten; 2 1/2 cup (375g) plain flour; 1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour; 1 tablespoon mixed spice; icing sugar, for dusting; 500 gram ready-made fondant icing; 1/4 cup (80g) apricot jam, warmed, sieved; ribbons, christmas ornaments, to decorate

Ingredients

Muscovado christmas fruitcake

300 gram butter, chopped

600 gram chopped mixed glace fruit

2 cup (320g) dried pitted dates, chopped

2/3 cup (160ml) rum, plus extra, for brushing

1/3 cup (115g) golden syrup

1 1/3 cup (295g) firmly packed muscovado sugar

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

6 eggs, lightly beaten

2 1/2 cup (375g) plain flour

1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour

1 tablespoon mixed spice

icing sugar, for dusting

500 gram ready-made fondant icing

1/4 cup (80g) apricot jam, warmed, sieved

ribbons, christmas ornaments, to decorate

Method

Muscovado christmas fruitcake

1.Place butter, glace fruit, dates, rum, golden syrup and muscovado sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat.

2.Cook, stirring, 10 minutes, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Simmer, stirring occasionally, a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bicarbonate of soda. Cool completely.

3.Preheat oven to slow, 150°C (130°C fan-forced). Grease a 7cm-deep, 20cm square cake pan. Line base and sides with three layers of brown or baking paper.

4.Stir egg into fruit mixture. Sift over flours and mixed spice; stir to combine. Pour into prepared pan; smooth surface.

5.Bake, covering loosely with foil halfway through cooking, 2 hours 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Stand 10 minutes. Brush top with extra rum.

6.Wrap foil around pan with cake still in it, then wrap in a clean tea towel. Turn wrapped pan upside-down. Cool on a flat surface overnight.

7.Unwrap cake and remove from pan. Using a serrated knife, level top of cake. Place cake, cut side down, on a serving plate or board.

8.Dust work surface with icing sugar. Knead fondant icing until smooth and pliable. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick.

9.Brush cake with apricot jam. Roll icing over a rolling pin and drape over cake. Dust hands with icing sugar and shape icing around cake, rubbing with baking paper to smooth completely. Trim any excess icing.

10.Stand 1 hour, until icing is firm. Decorate cake with ribbon and ornaments.

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Ingredients

Method

Muscovado christmas fruitcake

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