INGREDIENTS
3 Rooibos tea bags
375 ml boiling water**** see below
375g (3cups) fruit cake mix
100gr glaced cherries
125g butter
225gr sugar (11/4cups)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250gr (2 cups) self raising flour
2 eggs slightly beaten
100gr chopped walnuts or pecan nuts
INSTRUCTIONS
Put the tea bags in a pot and pour the boiling water over them.
Leave for a good 10 mins to infuse.
Squeeze them out and throw them away, then mix the fruit into the tea.
Boil together with the butter and sugar for approx 15 mins.
Once boiled stir in bicarbonate of soda and set aside to allow to cool.
Set the oven to 170°C
Once the mixture has cooled add the flour, beaten eggs and nuts and mix well.
Spoon the mixture into a 22 cm round greased lined tin and level the top.
Bake for 1 hour, or until risen and firm to the touch.
Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out to cool on a wire rack.
Wrap in greaseproof paper and keep for 2 days before slicing (if you can resist it!), as this improves the flavour.
Tip: Cover the cake with tin foil if necessary towards the end of the baking time if you feel it’s getting too brown
**** I used 100 ml brandy and 275 ml boiling water. Alternatively, you can add some orange juice instead of the brandy.
Ice the cake with a layer of Marzipan and a layer of white fondant icing. Store bought (Trumps) Over the cold cake baste some heated apricot jam then roll your marzipan thinly. Drape over the cake. Roll white fondant icing out and drape over the marzipan. Cut and trim your cake. Decorate with Christmas fondant cutouts.
Author: Fazila Olla-Logda
TRIEED AND TESTED, Baked and Posted by: Gail Haselsteiner
