Christmas Cake

I usually bake my cakes in September as I strongly believe that fruit cake develop flavor over time. I make three 7inch diameter cakes rather than one big one and I manage to save one to eat later on during the year. As for decoration, I am a bit wild, as you can see!!

For the cake

250g sultana
250g raisins
250g currants
250g glazed cherries
250g mixed peel
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup Malibu
2 tsp grated orange rind
250g butter
200g brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup self raising
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp cocoa powder

Put all fruit and grated orange rind in a large bowl. Add brandy and Malibu stir well and leave to steep covered with cling film for minimum 1 day. I soak fruit for 5 days stirring in the morning and another time in the evening so that all fruit absorb some liquid. I make the cake by first I line 3x 7 inch diameter cake pans(preferably aluminum) 3 times with baking paper fixing well with some butter. Then in a mixer beat butter and sugar on medium speed using the k beater. When light and fluffy add honey then eggs one at a time. Sift flours and cocoa and add to the mixture. Stir on medium for about 1 minute then stop machine and add all fruit and liquor that remains, start machine and stir until well combined. Divide mixture into three pans flatten out tops evenly and bake in slow oven 150c for approx 2 hours or until skewer comes out clean from the centre. Take out from the oven and splash some more brandy on top. When completely cold cover in tin foil and feed in 1 tablespoon brandy every week for 4 weeks.

For decoration:

150g plain chocolate
200g marzipan
2 tablespoon apricot jam mixed with 1 tbsp brandy
200g sugar pastry
Green food coloring

Melt the chocolate over a baine Marie. Then take 1 teaspoon and spread it on marbled surface in a crescent shape. Make about 20 shapes. When chocolate sets take a metal scraper and scrape the chocolate with care so that you have thin fans of chocolate.(you might need to practice a little first but anything that comes wrong can go back to the melted chocolate to be re worked.

Brush the cake with apricot jam and brandy mixture. Open the marzipan paste to 4mm thickness and cover cake completely. Roll out the sugar paste reserving 1/4th and cut leaves to form white ponsiettas. Place on one side of the cake. Add some green colour to the remaining paste and knead well until colour is evenly distributed then roll out to 3 mm thickness and cut 3 wide leaves. Place carefully underneath the ponsiettas. Using a little melted chocolate fix the chocolate fans aside the cake and arrange some on top. Dust with a little icing sugar for a dramatic effect. Decorated cake keep for weeks in a cool place.(not the fridge)