Christmas Pudding Cake #christmas #cake

The cake and pudding in one easy cut! Combines two classics in one with this simple technique. 

Ingredients :

• 150g/5½oz mixed dried fruit, such as sultanas, raisins and currants
• 150g/5½oz pitted soft-dried dates
• 150g/5½oz dried figs
• 150g/5½oz butter, softened
• 150g/5½oz dark muscovado sugar
• 150g/5½oz dried cranberries
• 150g/5½oz pitted soft prunes
• 150ml/5fl oz brandy, plus optional extra to ‘feed’ the cake
• finely grated zest and juice of ½ orange
• 150g/5½oz mixed whole nuts
• 3 tbsp black treacle or date syrup, optional
• 3 free-range eggs (at room temperature), beaten
• 150g/5½oz self-raising flour
• 3 tbsp ground mixed spice

To decorate

• 4 tbsp mincemeat
• small sprig holly leaves
• 4 tbsp apricot jam
• 750g/1lb 10oz ready to roll fondant
• 1kg/2lb 4oz marzipan
• glace cherries or cranberries

Method :

1. Stir in the cranberries and dried fruit mixture in a bowl. Using kitchen shears, snip prunes, dates and figs in small pieces, removing any stems, and drop into the bowl. Add the brandy and orange zest and juice, and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with clingfilm, a shower CAP or a plate and allow to marinate in a cool place for at least 12 hours or, even better, 2 days.
2. When you are ready to make the cake, grease and line 20 cm/8 in round loose-bottomed Tin and preheat the oven to 180 c/160C for Fan/Gas 4.
3. Spread nuts on a baking tray and roast, checking frequently to make sure they do not burn, for 5-10 minutes or until fragrant (you can skip the grilling, but it really brings out their flavor). Cool, then cut the beans-I like them relatively chunky contrast with fruit. Turn to 140 C/120 C Fan/Gas oven 1.
4. Use a handheld electric whisk (it's complicated to defeat this tiny amount in free standing mixer), beat together the butter and sugar for 5 – 10 minutes or until very light and soft. Beat in the molasses or syrup, if using. Gradually add the egg to the mix the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour and spices into the mixture and fold. Finally, stir through the soaked fruit, with any liquid left in the bowl, and chopped nuts.
5. Spoon the mixture into the Tin and smooth ready surface with the back of a spoon dipped in hot water. Bake 2¼ – 2½ hours or until the cake is firm to touch and a skewer pushed into the Center comes out clean. Set the Tin wire shelves. If you want to ' feed ' the cake, let it cool for about 15 minutes, then prick all over with a cocktail stick or stab, going as deep as 3 cm. brush for approximately 1 tablespoon of brandy. Leave to soak in while the cake is cooling. Once the cake is cool, remove from Tin and wrap in parchment fresh cakes, if you like, and then in foil before you store them in an airtight container or Tin at least 5 days before eating. You can repeat the process of eating downloads up to 5 weeks.
6. When you are ready to finish the cake, gently heat apricot jam and spread over the surface of the cake. Roll out the marzipan to about the thickness of a pound coin and cover the entire cake. Roll out fondant icing for the same thickness and cover the cake completely, pressing to smooth out.
7. Place the template in a round, round cake tin or plate is smaller than the diameter of your cake on top and cut around it with a knife or a scalpel. Carefully remove the circles of fondant and marzipan to reveal bare inner circle of your cake.
8. Using the template you used before to help her, cut the simple shapes of the pudding circle of marzipan. Press this to the top of the circle you cut to make the effect of pudding. Next carefully spoon some minced meat into the rest of cut shapes to produce a pudding looks curvaceous, or go out completely if you want. Eventually the place and position You holly, cherry, or cranberries to top the pudding form to complete.