Last minute Christmas cake

 

For the cake:





500g mixed dried fruit
125ml/4fl oz brandy
1 orange zest and juice
175g/6oz soft dark brown sugar
175g/6oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
3 eggs
175g/6oz plain flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp ground ginger

For the icing:

200g/7oz icing sugar
1 egg white
1 tbsp glycerine
 

Place the mixed dried fruit into a bowl and pour over 100ml/3½fl oz of the brandy. Stir in the orange zest and juice to combine, then cover and set aside overnight until the fruit has absorbed all of the liquid.

When the fruit has soaked, preheat the oven to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1. Grease the inside of a 20cm/8in non-stick cake tin with butter. Fold a large sheet of baking paper into a strip that is 3 layers thick and big enough to wrap around the outside of the tin making a high 'collar' (this will help the cake bake evenly and prevent it over-browning as it bakes). Secure the collar with string.

Beat the sugar and butter in a free-standing food mixer or large bowl for at least 3-4 minutes, or until it has turned a light caramel colour and is fluffy. Crack in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in the flour, mixed spice, ground ginger and the soaked fruit until completely combined. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top using a palette knife.

Bake the cake for 1½ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (if it does not, cook the cake for a further 10 minutes and check once more).

Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle with the remaining brandy. Set aside to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack (see tip about feeding the cake).

For the icing, in a free-standing food mixer, whisk together the icing sugar, egg white and glycerine until thick enough to hold its shape – this will take 3-4 minutes.

When the cake is cold, dollop the icing on top and spread all over the cake using a palette knife.