Christmas Chocolate Cake
This beautiful chocolate cake may be wrapped in glad wrap or aluminium foil and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few months.
Ingredients:
- 500g raisins
- 250g pitted prunes, chopped
- 250g dates, chopped 130g sultanas
- 130 currants
- 200g glace cherries
- 1 cup rum or brandy
- 250g butter, cut into small pieces 11⁄2 cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla essence
- 4 large eggs
- 210g dark chocolate
- 1⁄2 cup apricot jam
- 1⁄2 cup apricot nectar
- 2 cups plain flour, sifted
- 3/4 cup self-raising flour, sifted
- 11⁄2 tablespoons cinnamon
- icing sugar, for dusting
Method:
In a bowl, mix the dry fruits and add the rum and let rest for about 2 hours or overnight.
Line a 23cm round cake tin with a double layer of baking paper on sides and base. Wrap the outside of the tin with a double thickness of brown paper and tie with kitchen string.
Heat the oven to 160°C.
Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy, then beat in the eggs one by one. Add the fruit mixture and combine well.
Melt the chocolate in a small pan over simmering water or in the microwave oven for 2 minutes. Stir in the jam and the nectar and pour over the fruit. Stir well. Fold in the flour and the cinnamon and tip the cake mixture into the prepared tin.
Smooth the top and tap the pan against the worktop to settle the contents and remove air pockets.
Bake for 21⁄2 to 3 hours until a skewer test comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, leave in the tin, wrap in kitchen towels and leave overnight. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
From the book Cucina di Casa Nostra by Giulia Biviano
