Salted caramel Christmas cake

Try a modern twist on a traditional Christmas cake with this salted caramel version. Laced with chunks of toffee and dates, plus a crunchy, nutty topping, it’s a real treat

230g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin

150g pecans, finely chopped

100g hazelnuts, finely chopped

200g dates, roughly chopped

300g sultanas

100g toffee, roughly chopped

225g plain flour

½ tsp fine sea salt

200g light brown soft sugar

50g ground almonds

4 large eggs

2 tbsp black treacle

4 tbsp spiced rum

3 tbsp dulce de leche

For the topping

100g golden syrup

50g unsalted butter

½ tsp sea salt flakes

50g pecans

100g blanched hazelnuts

50g flaked almonds

50g plain flour

1 Heat the oven to 160C/ 140C fan/ gas 3. Butter the base of a loose- bottomed 20cm cake tin that is at least 7cm deep. Line the base with baking parchment, then wrap a wide band of parchment around the outside of the tin and tie to secure, so the cake won’t burn.

2 Combine both types of nuts, the dates, sultanas and toffee in a bowl, then mix the flour, salt, sugar and almonds together in another bowl. Beat the butter, eggs, treacle and rum into the flour mixture with an electric whisk until smooth. Stir the fruit and nut mix into the wet ingredients, then gently fold through the dulce de leche to create a ripple effect. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level with the back of a spoon. Bake for 1 hr, then reduce the oven to 150C/ 130C fan/ gas 2. Cover the cake with a circle of baking parchment and bake for another 1 hr 25 mins, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set aside ( don’t remove from the tin) and increase the oven temperature to 200C/ 180C fan/ gas 6.

3 To make the topping, gently heat the syrup and butter in a pan. Stir in the salt, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds and flour. Remove the parchment circle from the cake, then dot the surface with the topping and bake for 12- 15 mins more until golden. Leave to cool in the tin, then remove and decorate with ribbon, if you like. Will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

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