Christmas Fruit Cake

Cake:

For serving:

Brandy custard sauce:

As an alternative to the Brandy custard sauce, use a Cream Cheese chocolate icing.

 

Cream cheese chocolate icing (optional):

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm in diameter deep cake pan with baking paper, ensuring that the baking paper is 2 cm higher than the rim of the pan to easily lift the cake.

Combine the dried fruits, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, mixed spice, salt, brandy, juice and butter in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over low heat.

Simmer for 15 minutes while stirring every now and again. Leave to cool.

Beat the eggs until frothy and then mix them into the fruit mixture.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together.

Add the flour mixture to the fruit mixture a little at a time and mix until well combined. Add the nuts and mix through.

Spoon into the prepared pan and bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the pan. Turn out and place in an airtight container.

Drizzle the 45 ml brandy over and leave to stand for at least 1 day.

Serve slightly warmed with brandy custard sauce or alternatively top with the cream cheese chocolate icing.

For serving:

Brandy custard sauce:
Place the mascarpone in a small saucepan over a slightly bigger saucepan with boiling water. Stir until melted.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together. Add to the mascarpone and stir until the mixture thickens.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks forms and fold into the mascarpone mixture just before serving.

Serve over slightly warmed slices of the fruit cake.

Cream cheese chocolate icing (optional):
Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together until creamy. Add the melted chocolate while beating continuously.

Spread on top of the cake instead of using the brandy custard sauce.

HINTS & TIPS:

• Use light brown sugar instead of soft brown sugar and omit the cocoa powder for a lighter cake.
• If you don't finish the cake within 2 days after baking, drizzle a tablespoon of brandy over every second day to prevent it from drying out.