Name: Little fondant-iced Christmas cakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 360 gm each raisins and currants; 240 gm each dried sour cherries and dried cranberries; 240 gm pitted prunes, coarsely chopped; 180 gm fresh dates, seed removed, coarsely chopped; 120 gm glacé orange or clementine, finely chopped; 1 orange, juice and thinly peeled rind only; 400 ml Irish whiskey; 400 gm plain flour; 2 tsp each ground ginger and ground cinnamon; ½ tsp each ground cloves and finely grated nutmeg; ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 390 gm softened butter; 330 gm raw caster sugar; 1 vanilla bean, scraped seeds only; 5 eggs; 1 kg fondant (see note); For icing: red and green food colouring (optional)

Little fondant-iced Christmas cakes

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for little fondant-iced Christmas cakes.

Serves 6

Prep

30M

Cook

1H 30M

Total

Ingredients

360 gm each raisins and currants

240 gm each dried sour cherries and dried cranberries

240 gm pitted prunes, coarsely chopped

180 gm fresh dates, seed removed, coarsely chopped

120 gm glacé orange or clementine, finely chopped

1 orange, juice and thinly peeled rind only

400 ml Irish whiskey

400 gm plain flour

2 tsp each ground ginger and ground cinnamon

½ tsp each ground cloves and finely grated nutmeg

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

390 gm softened butter

330 gm raw caster sugar

1 vanilla bean, scraped seeds only

5 eggs

1 kg fondant (see note)

For icing: red and green food colouring (optional)

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 150C. Combine dried fruits, glacé orange, juice, rind and 300ml whiskey in a large saucepan and stir occasionally over low heat until alcohol is absorbed (4-5 minutes). Cool to room temperature, then discard orange rind.

2.Sieve flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and set aside.

3.Beat butter, sugar and vanilla seeds in an electric mixer until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer to a large bowl, stir in dry ingredients alternately with macerated fruit until just combined. Butter six 10cm-square cake tins and line the bases with baking paper. Spoon batter into tins, cover with baking paper and tie securely with kitchen string, then cover with foil and bake until golden and a cake tester withdraws clean (1 hour 15 minutes-1 hour 20 minutes). Drizzle remaining whiskey over hot cakes, cool in tins, then turn out.

4.Divide fondant in half, wrap one half in plastic wrap and set aside. Divide remaining fondant in half. Starting with one piece, knead on a work surface dusted with icing sugar until smooth and pliable (1-2 minutes), then add red food colouring gradually, kneading until smooth and evenly coloured to the desired shade. Roll out to 4mm thick, cut out three 10cm squares and set aside. Repeat with reserved quarter of fondant, kneading in green food colouring. Brush tops of cakes with a little water and lightly press a square of coloured fondant onto each cake. Roll out remaining white fondant to 4mm thick and cut out six 7cm-squares with a fluted cutter. Brush lightly with water and place in centre of coloured fondant, water-side down, pressing lightly to adhere. Store cakes in an airtight container until required. Cakes will keep for up to 1 month.