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.
1.Combine 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).
2.Preheat 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.
3.Beat the butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4.Stir butter mixture into fruit mixture, then stir in the chocolate and chopped nuts.
5.Stir in sifted flours and cocoa, in two batches.
6.Spread mixture into cake pan. Decorate top of cake with extra pecans.
7.Bake 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.
Suitable to freeze. Fruit suitable to microwave.
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