Golden Fruit Cake
Preparation 30MINS + 5-7 DAYS SOAKING TIME
Cook 3 – 3 1/2 HRS
Serves 20
Method
Combine fruit and 1/2 cup of brandy in a large bowl. Cover and store in a cool, dark place for 5-7 days, stirring each day.
Preheat oven to 150°C and grease a 22cm round deep cake tin. Line with three layers of brown paper, extending papers 5cm above rim
- Stir slivered almonds, pineapple and grated apple into fruit mixture. Set aside
- Beat butter, caster sugar and brown sugar together until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Add to fruit mixture and mix well.
- Stir sifted dry ingredients through the wet mix. Spread evenly into pan. Tap pan several times on bench to settle the mixture.
- Decorate with blanched almonds. Bake for 3-3 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Leave hot cake in the tin and wrap in foil, then a thick tea towel to cool overnight.
HINT: FOR AN EXTRA MOIST CAKE, PIERCE THE TOP OF THE CAKE ALL OVER WITH A FINE SKEWER AND SPOON A LITTLE EXTRA BRANDY OVER, BEFORE COOLING.
Ingredients
1kg Sunbeam Mixed Fruit
125g Sunbeam Raisins
125g Sunbeam Currants
1 cup Sunbeam Slivered Almonds
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 small Granny Smith Apple, grated
250g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp mixed spice
120g Sunbeam Blanched Almonds (to decorate)
Recipe Collection
Fancy Fruit and Nut Cake
Preheat oven to 150°C
- Grease a standard loaf tin (21 x 13cm or larger). Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 6cm above rim to form a collar.
- Coarsely chop half the nuts, glacé fruit and cherries and place in a large bowl (reserve the remainder of each for topping). Add raisins and dates and stir to combine.
- Sift flours and cinnamon, then stir 1⁄4 cup into the fruit mixture.
- Beat eggs, sugar, 2 tablespoons of brandy and rind together until light. Add remaining flour and stir to combine, then fold through fruit mixture. Spoon into prepared tin/s and press down with back of a spoon.
- Cut remaining glacé fruits into quarters. Press gently on top of cake along with whole nuts and whole cherries.
- Cover top of cake with paper bag or baking paper, resting on the collar. Bake large cake for 11⁄2-13⁄4 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool in tin.
- Place apricot conserve and remaining brandy in a small saucepan. Simmer, stirring for 3 minutes. Strain, then brush over cake. To serve, cut into thick slices.
Christmas Cake
I. Start by preheating your oven to 16O°C on the fan-bake setting
2. Then in a large saucepan, add 500g Sunbeam Mixed Fruit, 1 teaspoon of mixed spice, 100g of Sunbeam walnuts, 150g of sugar, 150mL of brandy, 150mL of orange juice and 125g of unsalted butter (note: you can sub the brandy for more orange juice if you like!)
3. Next bring the saucepan to a simmer over a low heat for approx. 20 minutes, then pop the fruit mixture into the fridge to cool down.
4. Now in a large mixing bowl, add 2 eggs, 2 cups/270g of flour, 1 teaspoon of bicarb and 1 teaspoon of baking powder
5. Next pour the chilled fruit mixture into the bowl and give it a good mix using a wooden spoon.
6. Now line a 19cm x 6.5cm round baking tin with baking paper as demonstrated in the IGTV, then pour the mixture into the tin (be careful not to collapse the sides of the baking paper.
7. Give the tin a few taps and a good shake around to ensure the mixture is nice and even, before popping it into the oven at l60C (be sure to keep an eye on the top of the cake to ensure it doesn’t burn!)
8. After approx. l hour 10 minutes insert a skewer into the cake: if it comes out clean, the cake is done and you can remove it from the oven.
9. Set the cake aside to cool for a few hours, then remove it from the tin. Peel off the baking paper and serve!
Recipe Credit: @recipearce
Spiced Nuts & Seeds
- Pre-heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Combine nuts and seeds in a large bowl with salt and spices.
- Combine oil and maple syrup and tip over nut mixture. Toss well.
- Spread onto a lined oven tray and bake for 12 minutes, tossing occasionally until toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Macadamia Biscuits
Preheat oven to 170⁰C. Line baking tray with grease proof paper.
- Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla essence and egg, beating until well combined.
- Stir in flour, macadamia nuts and choc chips.
- Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on tray 5cm apart. Bake for 12mins or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
Christmas Lava Puddings
Preheat oven to 150ºC (140ºC fan). Lightly grease 8 holes of two Texas (jumbo) muffin tins.
- Combine all ingredients (except white chocolate) in a bowl. Mix well.
- Spoon half the mixture into the tins. Push two pieces of white chocolate into the centre of the mixture then divide the remaining mixture between each tin.
- Bake for 20-22 mins until cooked on the outside but soft and gooey on the inside.
- Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries, if using.If not serving immediately, refrigerate and microwave for 60 seconds immediately before serving.
Pine nut, Sultana & Maple Tart
Place the maple syrup, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and stir to combine them. Add the butter, place the saucepan over med-high heat, and bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl; add the sultanas & allow it to cool for 20 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream, followed by the egg and egg yolk.
Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees.
Place the tart shell on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Distribute the pine nuts evenly over the bottom of the tart shell and pour the custard into the shell until it reaches the top of the crust. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until both the crust and the filling have turned light golden brown and the custard is set but still jiggly.
Serve the tart while still slightly warm, or cool it and serve at room temperature. Leftovers will keep, wrapped in plastic, for a few days in the refrigerator.