Sunbeam Spiced Christmas Cake

Preparation 15 MINS + Overnight soaking

Cook 2 1/2 HOURS

Serves 20

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Method

In a large bowl, combine mixed fruit, cherries, nuts, apple, golden syrup and liquor.  Mix well, cover and allow to stand overnight (or up to 24 hours for amazing flavour).

Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan forced).  Very generously grease the bundt tin, ensuring butter is in all creases. 

Add sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment.  Beat until fluffy and pale.  With the motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. 

Add flour and spices, beat on low until just combined.  Add orange zest and soaked fruit mixture and beat until just combined. 

In a small bowl mix together orange juice and bicarbonate of soda, add to the cake batter and beat until just incorporated.

Spoon batter into the prepared bundt tin, using a spatula to press mixture into any crevices and flatten the surface.

Bake for 2 ¼ to 2 ½ hours or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre.  Allow cake to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to remove and allow to cool completely.

Ingredients

1kg Sunbeam Mixed Fruit

150g Sunbeam Glacé Cherries

70g Sunbeam Walnuts

70g Sunbeam Blanched Almonds, roughly chopped

1 apple, grated (peeled and core removed)

3 tbsp golden syrup

250ml Cointreau or brandy

275g brown sugar

250g butter, softened to room temperature, plus extra to grease tin

4 eggs

450g plain flour

2 tsp mixed spice

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest

60ml orange juice

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Recipe Collection

Nutty Barramundi with Coconut Greens

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
  2. Place macadamia nuts, almonds, ginger and rind in a food processor; pulse until mixture forms a chunky paste.
  3. Place fillets on an oven tray; season with salt and pepper.
  4. Press nut mixture evenly on each fillet.
  5. Bake fish for 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
  6. Meanwhile, place sugar snap peas and beans in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain well; refresh under cold running water.
  7. Combine all coconut ingredients in a small jar. Shake.
  8. Serve fillets topped with micro herbs and dressing, sugar snap peas and beans.

Macadamia and Cacao Balls

  1. Blend or process dates until smooth
  2. Combine macadamia meal, cacao and dates in a bowl.
  3. Use wet hands to roll tablespoons of mixture in balls. Roll in coconut.

Pumpkin Fruit Cake

Preheat oven to 160⁰C. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.

  1. Bring to the boil mixed fruit, sugar, syrup, butter and apricot nectar, stirring all the time and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda. Allow mixture to cool.
  2. Add eggs and pumpkin. Beat till smooth. Then add flours and mix well to combine.
  3. Place in tin and bake for 90 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Chocolate Puddings with Sherry Raisins

  1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 6 x ¾ cup capacity muffin pans. Place butter, sugar, raisins and sherry in a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally until butter has melted. Allow to cool.

  2. Mix eggs through raisin mixture and then fold in the flour, almond meal, cocoa and spice. Pour between prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing.

  3. Use a small spatula to help remove puddings from pans and serve with custard and cream.


    Puddings can be made in advance and re-heated briefly in a microwave to warm through.

Pumpkin Macadamia Salad

Preheat oven to 180ºC.

  1. Place pumpkin and onion in large baking dish, add 2 tablespoons of oil and mix to coat. Roast or grill until tender (approx 30 minutes), turning once. Cool, and then gently mix with rocket, macadamias and raisins.
  2. Combine lemon juice, honey, ginger and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in screw top jar. Shake and pour over salad. Gently toss to combine.

Mini Bombe Alaskas

Line 6 x 180ml dariole moulds (or 6 x 180ml capacity small dishes) with plastic wrap.*

Place icecream into a large bowl and allow to stand at room temperature for 10 mins, or until soft (do not allow to completely melt).  Add fruit, nuts and sherry and use a spatula to mix well.

Spoon the mixture evenly between the prepared moulds and freeze overnight or until firm.

Slice the madeira cake horizontally into three big slices, about 2cm thick.  Use a cookie cutter (just bigger than the bases of the icecream moulds) to cut 6 rounds from the cake slices. 

To make the meringue, combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Whisk until stiff peaks form.

One at a time, carefully remove an icecream from the mould and place on top of a cake round.  Working quickly, smooth meringue around the cake and icecream to completely cover then blowtorch until golden.  Serve and repeat with remaining prepared icecreams.
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