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Legendary Boozy Christmas Cake

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Ingredients
  

  • 300 g butter softened
  • 180 g light brown sugar caster sugar is fine
  • 4 eggs
  • 300 g plain flour
  • 1 packet of Lebkuchen spice mix or 1.5tsp mixed spice, 05 tsp ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp marmalade or jam I use black cherry jam 1tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp almond essence
  • 1 g dried mixed fruit – I used cranberries raisins, golden raisins, dried apricots and dates (you could use cherries)
  • 150 g chopped walnuts or pecans optional 400ml rum/ brandy/ cold tea/ fruit juice Zest and juice of one orange
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • Marzipan and Royal icing to decorate
  • Baking tin x 25cm square tin or 23cm round tin OR
  • 12 cans cleaned with both ends removed

Instructions
 

  • Place all the dried fruit in a saucepan and add the booze and the juice from the orange and lemon. Bring to the boil, then take it off the heat, covering once cooled, and let it steep overnight ideally or at least for an hour or two.
  • When you are ready to go, cut strips of parchment paper and screw them up into a ball before using them to line the sides of the tins. Line a baking tray with a sheet of parchment and place the tins on top, don’t worry the mixture is thick and won’t seep out.
  • Pre-heat oven to 150c and pour yourself a glass of the booze for quality testing purposes.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the grated zest.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the jam/ marmalade and almond extract.
  • Sift the dry ingredients together, then mix the soaked fruit alternately with the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, combining thoroughly. Fold in the chopped nuts if using.
  • Share out the cake mix into the prepared tins and bake in the oven, for between 70-90 mins or until a cake-tester or skewer inserted into the cake comes out cleanish.
  • When the cakes are cooked, brush each with a teaspoon of your chosen Christmas Spirit.
  • If you want to store the cakes then wrap immediately in their baking paper and a double-thickness of tin foil – as this will trap the heat and form steam, which in turn will keep the cake soft on top. Feed the cakes weekly and then leave to “dry” with no feeding for 7 days before adding marzipan and topping with royal icing.
  • If you are ready to go, roll out your marzipan (a sour leader Ina Garten says, store bought is fine) and use a cookie cutter or a glass to cut circles to just cover the top of the cake. I find doing the sides as well is overkill on a cake this small.
  • Brush the top of the cake with warm apricot jam and apply the layer of marzipan. You can then top it with fondant icing for a smooth effect or whip up some Royal icing for a snowy theme – royal needs a few hours or ideally overnight to dry out before you wrap.
  • Wrap in parchment paper and string/ribbon and hand out to your friends!