Ingredients
For the soaked fruits:
40 gms mixed candied fruit (store bought)
40 gms glazed cherries
30 gms black currants
30 gms golden raisins
30 gms Mejdool dates
20 gms dried apricots
20 gms dried figs
20 gms dried cranberries
50 ml brewed strong black tea
25 ml fresh orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
For the fondant icing:
780 gms icing sugar
170 ml water
50 gms corn syrup
White food colour (optional)
For the cake:
125 gms butter
100 gms dark brown sugar
25 gms black treacle syrup
100 gms eggs
125 gms flour (Type 45 preferred)
5 gms baking powder
1 gram all spice
1 gram cinnamon powder
1 gram cardamom powder
1 gram nutmeg powder
250 gms soaked fruits
75 gms cashew nut
75 gms candied orange peel (store bought)
Marzipan to cover the cake (optional)
Method
Preparing the fruits
1. The day before baking, place the dried fruits in a large bowl. Add the tea, orange juice and stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight.
Making the fondant icing
1. Combine water, corn syrup, and icing sugar and stir until combined.
2. Cook over low heat. Don't allow the temperature to exceed 50OC. Remove from heat and set aside to completely cool down before using.
Making the cake
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric hand whisk or stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar until the mixture is light, smooth.
3. Beat one egg into the creamed butter, and then beat in 1/4th of the dry ingredients. Repeat this step until all the eggs and flour mix are used. Add the treacle syrup; stir gently using a spoon or spatula.
4. Add the fruit mixture, nuts and candied orange in to the cake mixture, folding gently, until all the fruits are incorporated into the mixture.
5. Spoon the mixture into a prepared cake pan and gently smooth and level the surface. Make sure that you only fill 2/4th of the pan so that the cake has space to rise.
6. Bake at 180C for 45 minutes, or until the cake is a golden brown colour and a cake tester or knife comes out clean. Remove and place it on a wire rack and let it cool completely.
7. Roll a piece of marzipan as the same size of the cake and place it over the cake. Drizzle the icing over it and let it set.
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