Christmas tea cake

The big day always creeps up on me, which is why I love this cake. It’s quick to whip up on the spot or make in advance!

Ingredients

500 g	Sultanas (Main)
100 g	Raisins
100 g	Dried cranberries
100 g	Crystallised ginger
100 g	Apricots
100 g	Mixed peel
1 Tbsp	Orange, zest
½ cup	Tea, fragrant (Earl Grey, lemon infusion, etc)
1 cup	Brown sugar
200 g	Butter, softened
3	Eggs
1 cup	Plain flour
1 cup	Self raising flour
½ tsp	Baking soda
¼ cup	Brandy
1 block	Royal icing, store brought
1 jar	Jam, any flavour
1 handful	Mixed nuts, roasted, and glace cherries or dried cranberries, to garnish. Or use fresh seasonal berries

Directions

1. Combine the fruits, ginger and peel in a large bowl and mix with the hot tea and zest.
2. Leave to infuse for at least 4 hours, or overnight if possible.
3. When ready to make, preheat the oven to 150C.
4. Line the base and sides of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper.
5. Cream the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each.
6. Combine the creamed mixture and soaked fruit, then sift over flours, soda, spice and brandy. Mix together well.
7. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top.
8. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes until golden and a skewer, when poked into the centre, comes out clean.
9. To decorate, roll out icing to a thickness of 2-3mm.
10. Cut a circle 2.5cm bigger than the cake (use a plate as a guide).
11. Brush the top of the cake with jam and lay icing over evenly.
12. Make scalloped edges using pinking shears or simply trim excess with scissors.
13. Use cookie cutters to make shapes out of the excess, such as trees. Leave to set and harden.
14. Stick the shapes onto an ice-block stick (they can be covered with a little melted chocolate if you wish).
15. Decorate the with nuts and cherries, if desired, or with dried cranberries and fresh berries.