Garam Masala Christmas Fruit Cake
The quintessential Garam Masala Christmas Fruit Cake, one I bake every year. Fruit mince from scratch soaked in a gentle mix of orange zest, orange juice, garam masala, whiskey, brandy and rum. Not very potent yet pleasing enough.
Ingredients
Fruit Mince
- 800 g fruit {currants, raisins, candied ginger, candied orange peel, dried cranberries, dried blueberries}
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 150 ml brandy, whiskey, rum
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 1 orange
Fruit Cake Batter
- 225 g butter room temperature
- 200 g brown sugar
- 4 tbsp caramel {made from 4 tbsp sugar then 1 tbsp water added later}
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 200 g all purpose flour
- 100 g whole almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150 g walnuts finely chopped
- 180 g cashews finely chopped
Instructions
Fruit Mince
- Chop candied ginger and orange peel in food processor. Place in a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients for mincemeat.
- Mix to coat well. Clingwrap tightly and sit in a cool place for about a week. If it is warm, you can place the sealed bowl in the fridge {Remove a few hours before you plan to bake the cake}
Fruit Cake
- Line one large 8" deep tin or 1 7" round tin + 1 mini loaf pan + 1 3" small round tin with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 150C.
- Place the flour, almonds and baking powder in the jar of a processor. Process until the almonds are ground fine. Reserve.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk the butter and brown sugar on medium speed till smooth, 5-6 minutes.
- Whisk in the eggs one by one, followed by the caramel and vanilla bean paste.
- Once well blended, stir in the flour mix and chopped nuts.
- Transfer batter to prepared tins, and bake for about 2.5-3 hours, until done.
- As soon as they come out of the oven, pour oven about a cup of mixed red wine, brandy and rum {optional}
- Allow to cool completely, then cover with clingwrap and leave in a cool place. Slice only once cool.
- You could feed the cake a couple more times if you like.