Lyre’s Christmas Fruit Cake

Recipe courtesy of lyres.com.au

A spin on Nanna’s famous Christmas cake, without the rum that Nanna was famous for hiding in her knitting basket. Best enjoyed with family and friends.

METHOD:

1. In a medium saucepan combine the Lyres Dark and White Cane Spirits, brown sugar, water and orange zest and juice and heat over moderate heat until sugar is dissolved and combined.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the syrup and stir well.
3. Using a spoon press and compact all of the fruit and spices into the warmed liquid and cook on low heat for a further 5 min.
4. Pour fruit mix into a container and refrigerate for 7 -10 days to allow fruits to soak and hydrate.
5. Stir every few days to ensure fruit is soaking evenly.

METHOD:

1. When you are ready to make the cake preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Grease a Bundt tin generously with butter and dust lightly with flour tipping out any excess so as to thinly coat the tin.
3. Sift the flour, nutmeg and almond meal together in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment , cream the butter, molasses, honey, brown sugar, and marmalade on moderate speed until pale.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, slowly until incorporated alternating with the flour mix until all combined.
5. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the soaked fruit with a spatula.
6. Pour cake mix into prepared Bundt tin and bake for 20 min at 180 degrees before turning temperature down to 160 degrees fora further 20 min.
7. Check cake with a skewer to see if it comes out clean. It may need up to 1 hr to cook.
8. Cool cake before topping with caramel. best served at room temperature.

METHOD:

1. Weigh all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Boil gently for 10 -15 min continuously stirring until mixture thickens.
3. Allow to cool before pouring over the cake.