Ingredients
1kg mixed dried fruit
2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
1/4 cup (60ml) fresh orange juice
1/4 cup (60ml) dry sherry, or brandy
250g butter, softened
1 cup (220g) brown sugar
4 eggs
2 cups (300g) plain flour
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1/2 cup (110g) apricot jam
2kg white fondant icing
Pure icing sugar, to dust
Method
Step 1
Combine the dried fruit, orange rind, orange juice and sherry or brandy in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight to soak.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 150C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake pan with 3 layers of baking paper.
Step 3
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the fruit mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour and mixed spice. Stir until well combined.
Step 4
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Gently tap on bench to settle mixture. Bake for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cover with foil and turn cake onto the kitchen bench. Leave in pan to cool completely.
Step 5
Use a large serrated knife to cut cake into 16 x 5cm squares. Melt the jam in a saucepan over medium heat. Strain through a sieve into a small bowl.
Step 6
Divide the fondant into 16 portions. Dust a clean work surface with icing sugar. Roll 1 fondant portion into a 15cm disc. Brush the warm jam over the top and sides of 1 cake square. Ease fondant over cake square to cover. Use a small sharp knife to trim. Repeat with the remaining cakes and fondant. Tie ribbon around cakes to decorate.
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