Lunch

Christmas fruit cake

Topped with almonds and packed with dried and glace fruit, this moist fruitcake not only looks good but tastes amazing. It serves 16, so is perfect to feed a crowd if you're hosting Christmas lunch or Christmas in July.
Christmas fruit cakeGood Food
16
25M
2H 10M
2H 35M

Ingredients

Method

1.Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add sugar, dried and glace fruit, 1/2 cup of the brandy, bicarbonate of soda and the water. Increase heat to high. Stir for 3-5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Cook for another 5 minutes or until fruit is soft, stirring once or twice. Cover. Stand until cool.
2.Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced). Grease a 20cm round cake pan. Line with a layer of brown paper then two layers of baking paper.
3.Stir grated rinds, egg and treacle into fruit mixture. Sift together flours and mixed spice and stir into fruit mixture until combined. Spoon into prepared pan, removing any air pockets by lightly tapping pan against benchtop. Smooth top. Decorate with almonds.
4.Bake for 2 hours or until lightly risen and golden brown, and a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Drizzle remaining brandy over warm cake. Loosely cover with foil and cool in pan before wrapping tightly in foil and storing in an airtight container until ready to serve.

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