Sunbeam Spiced Christmas Cake
Preparation 15 MINS + Overnight soaking
Cook 2 1/2 HOURS
Serves 20
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
Chocolate Bark Variations
Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Cook until the chocolate is almost entirely melted, stirring frequently.
Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a silicone or rubber spatula to spread chocolate evenly over the centre area of the baking sheet—aim for about ¼″ thickness
Sprinkle the nuts, seeds & fruit evenly over the chocolate. Lightly use your palms to press the toppings into the chocolate.
Place the pan on a flat surface in the refrigerator to set.
Once the chocolate is completely hardened, use your hands to break it into about 25 pieces. Serve immediately, or cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Spiced Currant Biscuits
- Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric beaters until thick and pale, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold ii the flour mixture slowly, then stir in currants and lemon zest. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out dough 4-5mm thick then cut with a round biscuit cutter and place on the trays. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings.
- Sprinkle biscuits with extra sugar. Bake for 10 minutes until firm to touch but still pale. Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Sunbeam Banana Bread with Sultanas
Toast & enjoy!
Note | You need 2 large overripe bananas for this recipe because they mash easily and are the most flavourful. The third banana cut in half and lay over mix before baking. We sprinkled a 1tbsp brown sugar over mix too.
Pumpkin Fruit Cake
Preheat oven to 160⁰C. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.
- 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.
- Add eggs and pumpkin. Beat till smooth. Then add flours and mix well to combine.
- Place in tin and bake for 90 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Fruit Cake Scrolls
Add the butter and coconut sugar to a mixing bowl and whip together with a fork until combined. Add in the Sunbeam Mixed Fruit, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix again to combine well.
Transfer warm milk to the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add in sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead dough on medium speed for 8 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball.
Transfer dough ball into an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Allow dough to rise for approximately an hour, or until doubled in size.
After dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 35x22cm rectangle. Spread the butter fruit mixture across the dough in a thin layer. Tightly roll dough up, starting from the shorter side. Cut into 2.5cm sections. You should get 9 large pieces. Place cinnamon scrolls in a greased 23x23cm baking pan or round 23cm cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes.
Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool before drizzling over melted chocolate, to serve.
Sunbeam White Christmas
Line a 30cm x 20cm (base) baking pan with baking paper.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water).
Fold in the remaining ingredients.
Pour mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down with a large metal spoon.
Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.
To Serve:
Turn slice onto a chopping board. Using a knife that has been dipped in hot water, cut into squares.