Chocolate Fruitcake

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 12 1/4 ounces dried soft prunes, chopped (350 grams)
• 8 3/4 ounces raisins (250 grams)
• 4 1/2 ounces currants (125 grams)
• 6 1/4 ounces unsalted butter, softened (175 grams)
• 6 1/4 ounces dark muscovado sugar (175 grams)
• 6 1/4 fluid ounces honey (175 ml)
• 4 1/2 fluid ounces coffee liqueur (125 ml)
• 2 oranges, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 2 tablespoons good quality cocoa
• 3 free-range eggs, beaten
• 5 1/4 ounces plain flour (150 grams)
• 2 1/2 ounces ground almonds (75 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ounce dark chocolate-covered coffee beans (25 grams)
• edible glitter (optional)
• gold dragees (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 300 degrees f (150 degrees c).
• 2 line the sides and bottom of an 8 by 3 1/2-inch deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment. when lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip); the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.
• 3 place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange zest and juice, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• 4 after 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little. add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and baking soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.
• 5 carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look. at this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the cake should still be a little uncooked in the middle.
• 6 place the cake on a cooling rack. once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.
• 7 to decorate, place the chocolate-covered coffee beans in the centre of the cake and arrange edible gold stars around the perimeter of the top of the cake (if you can find them- not listed in ingredients as zaar will not accept). then sprinkle some gold mini-balls over the whole cake and sprinkle the top with edible glitter.