I am not generally very keen on Christmas Cake but this one is very special! Why? because you can choose whatever dried fruit combination that you prefer and of course, it contains chocolate! It is important that you make it at least 6 weeks before Christmas so that you can enhance it leading up to Christmas day. The original recipe came from an Australian Women’s Weekly cookbook but has been modified!
Hints & Tips
- This recipe will make a number of small cakes and a large cake – make sure you are prepared and have the cake tins ready before you start!
- I have proposed a combination of dried fruit that I like. However, I can assure you, you can choose any combination you like as long as the weight of fruit in total does not exceed the recipe requirement (1,700g).
- Each time I make this cake, I vary the fruit combination based on what is available. As an example, you can mix sultanas, raisins, dried currents, prunes, dates, mixed peel and cherries for a more traditional feel or you can incorporate dried cranberries instead of raisins, dried pear or nectarine or other fruits instead of prunes.
- Suggest you choose dried fruits that will easily absorb liquid – I have not for example tried dried mango as it is so dry it will not absorb liquid.
- I have suggested whiskey as the alcohol of choice in this recipe. However, I have also tried brandy and Drambuie – both work just as well. It depends on what you personally like!
- I have proposed dark brown sugar. I have made this cake using coconut sugar and it works just as well!
- Once the cakes are baked, it is recommended you store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To enhance the flavour of the cake, each week, take the cakes out of the fridge. Perforate with holes and water with the alcohol you made the cake with – whiskey if you chose whiskey, brandy if you chose brandy etc. This is an important step. It not only creates a cake that will last quite some time, but the progressive addition of alcohol keeps the cake moist from the inside and will taste amazing when it is finally served!
- These cakes make awesome gifts for Christmas – be prepared and make a few!
- Category: Baking - Desserts, Desserts, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 375 grams Dried Pear, Chopped Coarsely
- 1 cup Self-Raising Flour
- 2 cups Plain Flour
- 150 grams Pecans, Chopped
- 100 grams Lindt 70% Cocoa Chocolate, Grated
- 6 Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Firmly Packed Dark Brown Sugar
- 250 grams Butter, Softened
- 1 tablespoon Finely Grated Lemon Rind
- 120 grams Honey
- 700 milliliters Bottle Whiskey
- 200 grams Glace Cherries
- 200 grams Mixed Peel
- 250 grams Prunes, Chopped Coarsely
- 300 grams Dried Cranberries
- 375 grams Dried Apricots, Chopped Coarsely
- 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
Instructions
- Combine all dried fruit, 250ml whiskey, honey and lemon rind in a large bowl. Mix well, top up with more whiskey until well soaked.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap; store in a cool, dark place for at least 3 days and anything up to 3 weeks. If storing for a longer period, check the fruit weekly, adding extra whiskey to keep the fruit moist.
- On the day of baking, preheat oven to 110 degrees Celsius.
- Grease and line the base and sides of a six-hole 180ml texas style muffin pan with baking paper.
- Grease and line the base and sides of a deep 22cm round cake pan with baking paper.
- Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until just combined. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between additions.
- Stir fruit mixture into cake batter with chocolate and nuts.
- Stir in sifted dry ingredients in two batches, mixing well.
- Fill each hole of the muffin pan, level to the top with mixture. Spread remaining mixture into cake pan.
- Decorate tops with extra pecans and glace cherries.
- Bake muffins for 1.5 hours (cake can stand while muffins are baking).
- Brush hot muffins with whiskey; cover with foil and cool in the pan.
- Increase oven temperature to 140 degrees Celsius. Bake large cake for 3 hours. Brush hot cake with whiskey; cover with foil and cool in pan overnight.
- Cakes can be made up to 3 months ahead. Store cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 12 months.
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