Festival cake
This spectacular-looking cake is surprisingly simple to make, with most of the e ort being in preparing the fruit and nuts. Delicious and impressive, it is a cake that will take pride of place at any special occasion.
SERVES 24
150g mixed candied peel 150g organic dried apricots, roughly chopped
450g sultanas
250g crystallized pineapple, chopped
130g crystallized ginger, chopped 250g whole glacé cherries, assorted colours, roughly chopped 160ml brandy
200g salted butter, soft
160g light muscovado sugar 6 eggs
360g plain flour
150g chopped pecans
260g chopped Brazil nuts topping 75g organic dried apricots 100g whole glacé cherries, assorted colours
30g whole blanched almonds 50g pecan halves
3 tablespoons apricot jam (optional)
empty 400g can (such as a baked bean can) 23cm/9inch round, loose- based cake pan, lined with baking parchment
Start the cake the day before you want to bake it. Put the mixed peel, chopped apricots, sultanas, crystallized pineapple and ginger and chopped cherries into a large bowl. Pour the brandy over everything, cover with cling-! lm/plastic wrap and allow to soak overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 150° C (300°F) Gas 2. Thoroughly clean the empty can and peel the label away. Line the outside of the can with baking parchment and place it in the middle of the prepared baking pan, open side up, to make a ring shape.
In a large bowl, cream the bu"er and muscovado sugar together. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition – don’t worry if the mixture curdles. Fold in the #our, then add the chopped nuts and soaked fruits and mix to an even consistency. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and level the top. Top with the whole apricots, cherries, almonds and pecans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 90 minutes. A skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean. You may need to cover the cake with baking parchment towards the end of cooking if the fruits are browning too much.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan. When cool, gently twist the can and remove, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack. If you would like a glossy appearance, boil the apricot jam, then brush it over the fruit and nut decoration.
The cake will keep for 2–3 months in an airtight container.