A Fruity Affair Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 200 gm butter
• 200 gm soft brown sugar
• 4 x Large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 100 gm self-raising flour
• 200 gm flour
• 1 tsp grnd mixed spice
• 175 gm sultanas
• 250 gm black raisins
• 50 gm mixed peel
• 50 gm dry apricots - coarsely minced
• 50 gm crystalised ginger - coarsely minced
• 3 Tbsp. Cointreau Apricot gel
• 5 x pecan nuts or possibly walnuts - toasted

Instructions

1. Method:GREASE a deep 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with a double layer of greaseproof paper.
2. Sift the flours with the mixed spice.
3. Cream butter and sugar together till light and fluffy.
4. Add in the Large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and adding a little flour if the mix shows signs of curdling.
5. Beat in the essence.
6. Mix in the sifted flours in batches, alternating it with a Tbsp.
7. of Cointreau each time.
8. Mix fruits in a mixing bowl and add 1 to 2 Tbsp.
9. flour.
10. Stir fruits into the creamed mix.
11. Spoon the mix into prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
12. Knock tin lightly on a flat surface to break up any air bubbles.
13. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees C for an hour, lower the temperature to 150 degrees C and continue to bake for another hour or possibly till a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean and dry.
14. Cold cake in the tin for 10 min before turning out onto a wire rack.
15. Topping:BRUSH apricot gel over cake.
16. Arrange the pecan nuts in the centre of cake and brush with more gel to give the cake a beautiful sheen.
17. Allow cake to dry before dusting with icing sugar.