Rich pecan and chocolate fruit cake
The addition of sweet, creamy chocolate and nutty pecans is brilliant in this classic Christmas fruit cake recipe. Serve yourself a big slice and serve warm or cool with a drizzle of cream or ice-cream.
- 30 mins preparation
- 3 hrs 30 mins cooking
- 168 hrs marinating
- Serves 36
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Ingredients
Rich pecan and chocolate fruit cake
- 2 1/2 cup (415g) sultanas
- 2 cup (320g) coarsely chopped raisins
- 1 1/4 cup (200g) currants
- 1 1/2 cup (270g) coarsely chopped pitted prunes
- 1 1/2 cup (240g) coarsely chopped dried pitted dates
- 1/2 cup (100g) dried figs, chopped coarsely
- 2/3 cup (140g) glacé cherries
- 1 1/2 cup (375ml) brandy or grand marnier liqueur
- 1/3 cup (80ml) honey
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
- 1 large (300g) navel orange, rind grated, juiced
- 1 small (150g) apple, peeled, grated coarsely
- 250 gram unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cup (330g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 6 eggs
- 90 gram dark chocolate, chopped finely
- 1 1/4 cup (150g) pecans, roasted, chopped coarsely
- 2 cup (300g) plain flour
- 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
- 2 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 cup (120g) pecans, extra
Method
Rich pecan and chocolate fruit cake
- 1Combine fruit, 1 cup of the brandy (or Grand Marnier), honey, citrus rinds, orange juice and apple in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; stand in a cool, dark place for one week, stirring every two days (alternatively, you can microwave in 1-minute bursts on HIGH for 3 minutes or until fruit is plumped).
- 2Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan-forced). Line a deep 25cm round cake pan with two layers of brown paper and two layers of baking paper, extending paper 5cm above sides.
- 3Beat the butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
- 4Stir butter mixture into fruit mixture, then stir in the chocolate and chopped nuts.
- 5Stir in sifted flours and cocoa, in two batches.
- 6Spread mixture into cake pan. Decorate top of cake with extra pecans.
- 7Bake the cake on lower shelf for about 3 hours 30 minutes or until cooked when tested. Cover cake loosely with foil if over-browning. Brush the hot cake with remaining brandy; cover with foil. Wrap in a clean towel; cool in pan overnight.
Notes
Suitable to freeze. Fruit suitable to microwave.