Mini Christmas Cakes

I've used Sarah's recipe but used large muffin cases instead of parchment

Mini Christmas Cakes

Sarah's servings: 12

Sarah's skill: Easy

Baking time: 1 hour 20 mins

INGREDIENTS

450g mixed dried fruit

50g glacé cherries (quartered)

75ml brandy

150g unsalted butter, softened

150g soft light brown sugar

3 large eggs

150g plain flour

500g marzipan

500g white fondant icing

2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed

METHOD

1. Weigh the fruit and cherries into a large bowl, add the brandy, mix, then cover with cling film. Leave overnight to soak.

2. When ready to bake the cake Preheat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan) then grease and line the 12 individual sections of a mini sandwich cake tin.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs gradually alternating with the flour to the mixture doesn’t curdle.

5. Finally add the soaked fruit and mix until it is all combined.

6. Divide the mixture between the 12 sections and level.

7. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

8. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

9. Put the cakes on a plate or cake stand and brush the cakes with warmed apricot jam.

10. Roll out the marzipan to ½cm thickness and cut out 12 circles with a 6cm cutter.

11. Place the marzipan circles on top of the jam on the cakes.

12. Brush the marzipan with more apricot jam.

13. Roll out the fondant icing to ½cm thickness and cut out 12 circles with a 6cm cutter.

14. Place on top of the marzipan and decorate with the offcuts of icing.

15. Put some baking parchment round the cakes and tie some festive string around the cakes to finish.