The Hummus Recipes Kitchen (The home of Hummus Recipes & Delicious Middle Eastern Recipes) invites you to try Snow-topped holly cakes Recipe. Enjoy Christmas cooking recipes and learn how to make Snow-topped holly cakes.
This square Christmas cake is cut into two loaf-shaped cakes, so you can give one to a friend.
Easy
Makes 2 cakes, each serves 8
Prep 45 mins
Cook 1 hr 45 mins
Freezable
Undecorated cake can be frozen
Ingredients
200g dark muscovado sugar
175g butter , chopped
700g luxury mixed dried fruits
50g glacé cherries
2 tsp grated fresh root ginger
zest and juice 1 orange
100ml dark rum , brandy or orange juice
85g pecans
3 large eggs , beaten
85g ground almonds
200g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
250g pack marzipan , halved
icing sugar , for dusting
2 tbsp warmed apricot jam
500g pack fondant icing sugar
8 glacé cherries
small holly sprigs, washed and dried
Method
1. Tip the sugar, butter, dried fruit, whole cherries, ginger, orange zest and juice into a large pan. Pour over the rum, brandy or juice, then put on the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring frequently to melt the butter. Reduce the heat and bubble gently, uncovered for 10 mins, stirring every now and again to make sure the mixture doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan. Set aside for 30 mins to cool.
2. Stir the nuts, eggs and ground almonds into the fruit, then sift in the flour, baking powder and spices. Stir everything together gently but thoroughly. Your batter is ready.
3. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Butter and line the base and sides of a 18cm square tin with baking paper. Spoon the cake mix into the tin and level the top with a spoon dipped into boiling water. Bake for 45 mins, then turn oven down to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and cook for 1 hr more or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Will keep well-wrapped in foil for 2 months or freeze for 1 year.
4. Carefully cut the square cake in half and trim the edges so that you see the texture of the cake on all sides. Roll out each piece of marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar until the size of the top of each cake.
5. Generously brush the top of the cakes with jam, place jam-side down on top of the marzipan, then trim away the excess marzipan with a sharp knife.
6. Make up the fondant icing to a spreading consistency, then spread on top of the cakes so that it slightly runs over the edges. Top with cherries and holly, then leave to set. Will keep in a plastic container in a cool place for 4-7 days.
Nutrition per serving
584 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 97g, fat 20 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 2g, sugar 87g, salt 0.32 g
Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2009.
More Christmas Desserts Recipes
Simmer-&-stir Christmas cake
Turkish pavlova Recipe
Almond Baskets Recipe
Kunafa Recipe
Lebanese Baklava Recipe
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