TWELVE DELICIOUS DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

PEAR, APRICOT AND ALMOND FRUIT CAKE

Preparation time 11/4 hours plus 1 hour standing

Cooking time 2 hours

Makes 20cm round cake or six 10cm round cakes

275g dried pears, finely chopped 125g dried apricots, finely chopped 2 Tbsp crystallised ginger, finely chopped 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted 1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1/4 cup rum (or orange or apple juice), plus 1/4 cup extra, to brush Melted butter, to grease

11/2 cups plain flour

11/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup almond meal

250g unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup caster sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar

4 free-range eggs

Edible gold leaf and candied pear slices (see recipe, below right), to serve

HONEY ICING

1 Tbsp honey

1/4 cup boiling water

3 cups pure icing sugar, sifted

STEP 1 Put dried fruit, ginger, nuts, zest and rum in a large bowl. Stir to combine, cover and stand for 1 hour or overnight. STEP 2 Preheat oven to 130°C fan-forced (150°C conventional). Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin or six 10cm round cake tins with melted butter and line with baking paper.

STEP 3 Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in almond meal.

STEP 4 In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. Beat until pale and fluffy.

STEP 5 Add flour mixture and fold in. Fold in fruit mixture (batter will be thick).

STEP 6 Pour batter into large tin or divide between smaller tins. Place on an oven tray (this makes it easier to remove from oven).bake large tin for 1 hour 45 minutes until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. For smaller tins, bake for 55-60 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted into centres comes out clean. Brush hot cakes with extra rum. Let cool completely in tin/s.

STEP 7 To make honey icing, stir honey and boiling water together, then pour into icing sugar, stirring until smooth and glossy. Glaze should be thick but pourable. Spoon icing over cake or cakes, letting it drizzle down sides. Stand for 15 minutes until set. Decorate with gold leaf and candied pear. Serve.