Christmas Cake | Two Day Christmas Fruit Cake

mixed dried fruit

🥗Healthier: fresh fruit

💰Cheaper: raisins and sultanas

Using fresh fruit can reduce sugar content and cost.

unsalted butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil offers a dairy-free alternative.

brandy

🥗Healthier: apple juice

💰Cheaper: grape juice

Apple juice provides moisture without alcohol.

royal icing

🥗Healthier: whipped cream

💰Cheaper: store-bought frosting

Whipped cream is lighter and easier to prepare.

Soften the dried fruit by combining it with lemon juice, zest, and brandy in a pot, bringing it to a boil, and simmering for 5 minutes.

Let the fruit mixture cool for about half an hour to absorb flavors.

In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, flaked almonds, candied peel, glass cherries, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, and eggs; mix until combined.

Add the cooled fruit mixture to the batter and mix until no pockets of flour remain.

Prepare a 19 cm cake tin by lining it with greaseproof paper.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

Bake in a preheated oven at 130°C for a convection oven or 150°C for a regular oven for 2 hours.

Check the cake with a skewer to ensure it comes out clean and dry before removing it from the oven.

Let the cake cool in the tin before removing it the next day for decorating.

Cut off the top of the cooled cake for an even surface.

Coat the cake with apricot jam to help the marzipan stick.

Roll out the marzipan and cover the cake, smoothing out any creases.

Leave the marzipan to dry for 24 hours or use a warming oven for 30 minutes at 60°C if short on time.

Roll out fondant icing and cover the cake, creating a quilted effect with a ruler or palette knife.

Decorate with edible silver pearl balls and green fondant leaves.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens