RECIPES - Christmas Fruitcake

CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Ingredients

• 600 g Mixed Dried Fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants, cranberries, candied orange and lemon peeling) • 150ml Rum • 125 g Butter (soft) • 125 g Dark Brown Sugar • 4 Eggs • 2.5 g Baking Powder • 125 g Plain Flour • 5 mL Orange Extract • 5 mL Mixed Spice • 50 g Ground Almonds • 300 g Icing Sugar • 5 mL Rum • 30 mL Milkv

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pan set over a low heat, add the dried fruit and peeling, pour the brandy over, and cover the pan with the lid. 2. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes so that the fruit can soak up the alcohol 3. Remove from the heat, and leave the lid on for a further 5 minutes 4. To make the sponge, beat together the brown sugar with butter until you get a smooth thick paste 5. Add the eggs one by one, eating well after each addition to avoid the mixture curding 6. Add the ground almonds, mixed spice, baking powder and orange extract 7. Add the flour and soaked fruit 8. Mix well to ensure the fruit are well distributed, and transfer the mixture to a round cake tin that is greased and floured 9. Bake in the preheated oven at 120 degrees Celsius (248 Fahrenheit) for one hour, then increase the temperature to 150 degrees Celsius (300 Fahrenheit) and bake for a further 30 minutes until light brown and firm to touch