Ingredients
Cake:
• Melted butter, for greasing
• 500g pitted prunes, chopped
• 375g raisins, chopped
• 375g currants
• 375g sultanas
• 1 cup brandy
• 250g butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1⁄2 cup plum or cherry jam
• Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1⁄2 cup self-raising flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1⁄2 cup orange juice
• 3 glacé cherries
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• Extra 2 Tbsp brandy
White chocolate leaves:
• 80g white chocolate
Brandy butter frosting:
• 125g butter, softened
• 11⁄2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
• 2 Tbsp brandy
Method
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Grease the base and sides of a deep 18cm square cake tin and 3 x 9cm square cake tins with butter and line with baking paper. Combine prune, raisin, currant, sultana, and brandy in a large bowl. Cover and stand for 2 hours, or overnight if time permits.
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Preheat oven to 160°C. Put butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until mixture is light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add jam and zest and beat until combined.
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Add butter mixture to fruit and, using a large metal spoon, stir to combine. Sift flours and spices over fruit mixture and fold to combine. Add orange juice and stir until mixture is almost smooth.
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Spoon 4 cups of the mixture into large prepared tin. Spoon 2 cups of the mixture into each small tin. Smooth surface of cakes with back of a wet spoon. Tap tins gently on a flat surface to settle mixture and remove air pockets. Lightly press 1 cherry and 12 almonds into top of each small cake
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Wrap 2 layers of brown paper around each tin and secure with kitchen twine. Bake small cakes for 1 hour and large cake for 2-21⁄4 hours or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Pour extra brandy over hot cakes. Cool completely in tins.
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Meanwhile, to make leaves, put chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Spread on a sheet of baking paper and allow to cool for 10 minutes or until just set. Use a small sharp knife to cut leaves from chocolate. Set aside.
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To make frosting, put butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. With motor running, add icing sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition until light and creamy. Stir in brandy. Spread frosting over large cake, top with leaves. Serve.
Cook's notes:
- You'll need to leave it standing overnight before baking.
- To store these cakes, wrap them securely, undecorated, in two layers of plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one year.
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