If you’re not a fan of traditional fruit cake and are looking for a different Christmas cake recipe, then why not try this delicious nut free version, which has an exotic twist! From our friends at Cake Decorating TV (CDTV), it's packed full of succulent exotic fruits like pineapple, mango and papaya; the perfect modern Christmas cake recipe!
Ingredients
1kg dried ready-to-eat tropical fruits, eg mango, pineapple and papaya, chopped
100g angelica, chopped
100g red glace cherries, quartered or halved
250g (8oz) butter
250g (8oz) light muscovado sugar
4 medium eggs R 300g (10oz) plain flour
1 tsp of five-spice powder
4-5 tbsp of rum
20cm round or 18cm square cake tin, lined with baking parchment.
To watch the accompanying video to go with this recipe, simply sign up to www.cakedecorating.tv.
Method
1. Set the oven to cool Gas Mark 2 or 150°C.
2. Mix together the dried fruits, angelica and cherries.
3. Cream the butter, sugar and 5-spice powder together, until the mixture is light and fluffy and pale in colour. Gradually beat in the eggs one at a time along with a dessertspoon of flour with each egg. Fold in the remaining flour, and stir in the chopped fruit and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and use a damp hand to smooth the surface flat.
4. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 21/2-3 hours, covering the cake with a sheet of baking parchment or foil if it appears to be browning too quickly. To test if the cake is cooked, insert a warmed skewer and if it comes out clean then the cake is cooked, but if any of the mixture sticks to the skewer, then return the cake to the oven and cook for a little longer.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin, placed on a cooling rack. After 10-15 minutes, while the cake is still warm, pour the rum over the top of the cake, and tilt the cake so that the rum runs over the entire surface, then leave to cool completely.
6. To store the cake, when it is cold wrap in baking parchment then in foil and store in a cool place for up to 2 months.
Top Tip!
Make sure you use a 5-spice powder which doesn’t contain any onion or garlic, or alternatively make your own blend from ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and star anise.
For more fantastic inspiration, head over to Cake Decorating TV (CDTV), the home of expert tutorials for cake decorators everywhere! CDTV is a fun and informative online cake decorating school aimed
at all levels of ability from beginners to the experienced cake decorator. Learn from their team of award winning, internationally renowned, professional cake decorators through thousands of hours of online classes. Whether you want to learn the basics to decorate your child’s fist birthday cake, create some showstopping sugar dahlias for your daughter’s wedding or wow your guests with your isomalt skills, their expert tutorials are designed to help you reach your goals. Wherever you are in the world, whatever your level of skill, CDTV are with you every step of the way.
With membership starting from as little as £6.45 per month, CDTV members get:
❄️ Free monthly digital copy of Cake Decoration & Sugarcraft magazine (normally £3.99) to enjoy anywhere, any time!
❄️ 10% OFF every order at www.cakecraftworld.co.uk and www.cakecraftshop.co.uk
❄️ Free tickets to industry events and exhibitions, including The Cake and Bake Show!
❄️ Exclusive access to members only Facebook group
❄️ A brand new tutorial every week
❄️ Fantastic monthly prize draw!
With a free subscription to Cake Decoration and Sugarcraft to get your hands on, what are you waiting for?!
Recent Updates
Everything You Need To Know When Scaling Up Cake Recipes
Looking for a quick and easy go-to guide for scaling up cake recipes? Look no further! ...
Why Sift Flour? Is It Really Necessary?
Have you ever found yourself wondering: why sift flour? Here’s our useful article all about the purpose of ...
How to Transport a Cake
If you’re looking to transport a cake long distance or want to know how to transport a cake in the car, this ...
Colouring For Every Occasion With Colour Splash!
Colour Splash by Culpitt have a colour solution for all your caking and decorating needs. Check out their ...
Other News
Baking Science: How Does Baking Powder Work?
It’s an essential ingredient in most recipes, but what does baking powder do exactly? We’ve broken down the ...
The Best Cake Decorating Books
Check out our favourite cake decorating books for you this #NationalReadABookDay! ...
It's All An Illusion...
We take a closer look at this year's Cake & Bake show competition - have you entered yet? ...
Let Your Creativity Blossom with Culpitt
Inspired by nature, Culpitt's stunning Wild Blooms collection is perfect for creating that rustic feel ...