Golden Fruit Cake

Festive Fruit Cake Recipe

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line the base and sides of a 20cm springform cake pan.

Mix nuts, dried fruits, glace cherries, peel in a bowl. Sift in flour, baking powder then stir in sugar. Lightly whisk eggs with vanilla, then stir into the cake mixture until well combined. Pour into pan. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack over a plate and remove baking paper. Pierce all over with a skewer. Drizzle with brandy, then wrap tightly in foil and leave in a cool, dry place for 2-3 days to mature.

For the topping: Soak fruit in Maple syrup, add boiling water to cover and let soften. Closer to serving, warm jam in a pan over low heat or in the microwave until runny. Arrange the maple-soaked fruits over the top of the cake in a decorative pattern, then brush with warm jam to set in place.

Sunbeam Decadent Fruit Mince

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl till combined.

Place into sterilised jars and store in a cool dark dry place to macerate for as long as you can before using.

This fruit mix made ahead can be used for so many great Sunbeam Recipes!

Panforte

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan.

   Place sugar, honey and chocolate in a large saucepan and gently heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in the raisins, figs, cherries, cranberries and nuts. Mix well.

   Add flour, cocoa and spices to mixture and working quickly mix it together until all combined. You may need to wear a thick rubber glove. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes. Set aside to cool before removing from pan to cool completely.

Spiced Currant Biscuits

1. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric beaters until thick and pale, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold ii the flour mixture slowly, then stir in currants and lemon zest. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
2. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out dough 4-5mm thick then cut with a round biscuit cutter and place on the trays. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings.
3. Sprinkle biscuits with extra sugar. Bake for 10 minutes until firm to touch but still pale. Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Christmas Casata

Soften 2 litres vanilla ice cream by leaving out of the freezer for 15 minutes while you chop, glacé cherries & Allens Raspberries.

Toast the slithered almonds in a dry pan till slightly brown, set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl add softened ice cream, start by stirring in the frozen raspberries to give ice cream raspberry ripples and colour. Then add all the remaining ingredients and stir till combined.

Choose a mould or tin to set the ice cream in and freeze for a minimum 4 hours to set.

Serve frozen.

Christmas Cake Gift Jar

As a gift idea

1. Place flour in bottom of jar and add spices and bicarbonate of soda
2. Pour in fruit and push down lightly
3. Next place brown sugar and finish with slivered almonds.
4. Attach a gift card with the following instructions:

YOU WILL NEED
250g butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup brandy

METHOD

1. Preheat oven 150°C. Double line a 20cm round tin with baking paper
2. Combine gift jar contents, butter, eggs and brandy and stir until combined
3. Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until skewer inserted comes out clean.