Individual Christmas Cakes

Ingredients:

500g sultanas
350g raisins, chopped
250g currants
250g glacé cherries, chopped
250ml brandy or dark rum
225g butter
225g Muscovado sugar
2 tbsp apricot jam
2 tbsp treacle (or golden syrup)
1 tbsp finely-grated lemon zest
4 eggs
350g plain flour, sifted
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

To Decorate:
70g marzipan
green and red food colouring
icing sugar
250g Royal icing

Method:

Combine the sultanas, raisins, currants and glacé cherries in a bowl. Pour over the brandy, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside to soak over night.

The following day, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Sir in the jam, treacle and lemon zest then add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and spices. Add this to the creamed mixture, alternating with the soaked fruit. Beat the batter until smooth then set aside as you prepare the cake tin.

Lightly grease 12 muffin wells and line the bases with a circle of greaseproof (waxed) paper cut to size. Fill each well right to the top with the cake batter and smooth the surface. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 150°C, (300°F, Gas Mark 2) and bake for 75 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes emerges cleanly.

Remove from the tins and allow to cool in the tins before turning out onto a wire rack. As the cakes are cooling prepare holly decorations. Take 50g of the marzipan and knead until soft. Place on a work surface dusted with icing sugar and roll out as thinly as you can. Cut out holly leaf shapes with a pastry cutter (or use a card template and a knife. Pinch the leaves in half to create a mid-rib then open out and curl each one in different directions. Lightly brush the edges of each leaf with a little green food colouring then set aside.

Take the remaining marzipan and knead in a little red food colouring. Pinch off small pieces and roll these into balls, to make berries.

When the cakes are cool, spread a tablespoon of the icing over the top of each then use a palette knife to spread over the top (allow a little to drip over the sides). Secure holly leaves and berries on the top. If stored in an air-tight container in a cool place these cakes will keep for up to 1 month. Indeed, they will mature and taste better if you store for a couple of weeks prior to serving.

Find more Christmas Recipes Here.