Baking

Gift Christmas cakes

gift Christmas cakes
4 Item
30M
3H
3H 30M

Ingredients

Method

1.Combine fruit, marmalade and liqueur in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and stand overnight, or for several days, stirring mixture occasionally.
2.Preheat oven to 140°C /280°F. Line the base and sides of a deep 20cm (8-inch) square cake pan with two layers of brown paper and two layers of baking paper, bring paper 5cm (2 inches) above edges of pan.
3.Beat butter and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined between additions. Add butter mixture to fruit mixture and stir well. Stir in sifted flour and spice, then walnuts, mix well.
4.Spread mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 3 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Brush top of cake with extra liqueur. Place a piece of baking paper over top of the cake and cover hot cake tightly with foil. Turn cake, in pan, upside down (this will give the cake a level top). Cool overnight.
5.To decorate: place sugar and the water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil, uncovered, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until syrup is thickened. Cool.
6.Cut cooled cake into 4 squares. Brush top of cake with some of the cooled syrup.
7.Knead icing on a surface dusted with a little cornflour until smooth. Roll out icing to a 6mm (¼-inch) thickness. Using a fluted pastry wheel (or knife), cut four 10cm (4-inch) squares (or cut large enough to cover tops of cakes). Lift icing squares onto cakes.
8.Cut out stars from remaining icing. Brush stars with a little of the syrup, secure to top of cakes. Stand for several hours or overnight until firm. Brush cachous with a little sugar syrup using a fine brush and secure onto cakes. Decorate cakes with ribbon, if desired.

Start the recipe at least a day ahead, as the fruit mixture needs to stand overnight.

Note

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