Festive Fruit and Nut Cake
Prep time: 90 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Makes: 1 cake
INGREDIENTS
1 pack of FreshLife Fruit Mix 700g
75g FreshLife Californian Walnuts, roughly chopped
3 tbsp marmalade
3 tbsp molasses
250ml apple juice (or brandy)
300g salted butter, softened
200g soft brown sugar
4 large eggs
375g high-grade flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 small orange, zest and juice
Option 1: For Almond Topping with Apricot Glaze
70g blanched almonds
4 tbsp smooth apricot jam
1 tbsp lemon juice
Option 2: For Orange Buttercream Icing
110g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
350g icing sugar
2 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp milk
Pinch of salt
For the icing decoration
FreshLife Californian Walnuts, lightly toasted
FreshLife Pistachio Kernels, lightly toasted
Dried orange slices
Fresh rosemary sprigs
METHOD
Place dried fruit, nuts, marmalade, molasses and apple juice in a large bowl. Mix well, then cover and leave to soak overnight.
Alternatively, microwave for 2 minutes on high, stir and allow to soak for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 150°C (Bake). Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin with baking paper.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, add 1-2 tbsp of the measured flour.
Sift in the flour, baking soda and spices and fold into the mixture with the zest. Add the soaked fruit mixture and orange juice. Spoon cake mixture into the prepared tin; smooth the top. Arrange almonds on the top (don’t put the almonds on top if you are making the orange buttercream icing).
Place in the oven and bake for 2 hrs or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cover with foil during baking if the top browns too quickly. Remove from the oven and leave to fully cool in the tin.
Remove from the cake tin.
For the Apricot Glaze:
Heat the jam and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Once the jam has melted, brush over the top of the cake (skip this step if you are using the buttercream icing variation)
For the Orange Buttercream Icing
Add the walnuts to a dry frying pan over medium heat. Toast for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
In the same dry pan, add the pistachio kernels. Toast over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until they smell fragrant. Set aside to cool.
While the nuts are cooling, beat butter on high with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Slowly beat in the icing sugar until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the salt, milk and orange zest. Beat once more until smooth.
If the mixture is too thin, add extra icing sugar; if the mixture is too thick, add extra milk one teaspoon at a time.
Once the cake is fully cooled, spread the buttercream evenly over the cake’s surface. Top with toasted walnut halves, pistachio kernels, dried orange wheels, and sprigs of rosemary.