Rich Christmas Cake

Ingredients List

Instructions

Method for the cake:

1. Tip the dried mixed fruit into a large bowl and pour the strong tea over the top. Leave to stand over night or up to 24 hours to allow the fruit to swell and absorb the tea.
2. The next day, pre-heat the oven to 170ºC / 338ºF. Grease the cake tin and line the sides and bottom with baking paper.
3. In a separate bowl to the fruit, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spices together. Add the dried fruit, nuts and brandy and stir well to combine – it should come together as a firm but not too dry mix. If it seems too dry, then add some dairy-free milk to loosen the mix but don’t make it wet.
4. Spoon into the prepared cake tin, spread out and tap on the worktop to make sure there are no air bubbles in the wrong place. Cut another round piece of baking paper with a small hole in the middle, and place on top of the cake mix. This stop the top of the cake becoming too brown.
5. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Check the cake after 1 hour to make sure it’s firming up well and take the top baking paper off if its looking too pale. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Leave it to rest until completely cold then wrap it up in clean greaseproof paper and tin foil. Store in a cool, dark place. 
6. If you want to add more brandy, do this on a weekly basis. Unwrap the cake, prick a few holes in the top and carefully drizzle 2 tablespoons of brandy over it. Then wrap it all back up again and repeat the following week until you want to ice it.

Method for the almond paste (marzipan):

1. Mix the ground flaxseed and water together in a small bowl and leave to thicken for a few minutes.
2. Weigh out the ground almonds into a medium-sized bowl.
3. Add the maple syrup and almond essence to the flaxseed mix and stir well to combine.
4. Pour the mix into the ground almonds and stir well to combine. It will gradually come together as a soft dough. Use your hands to knead it for a minute or so to make sure everything is brought together.
5. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.

Method to decorate a cake:

1. Cut the dough in half. Use one half to cover the top; break in half, flatten one half in the palm of your hand then place over the top of the cake. Spread it out with your hands, pinching together any breaks and patching where needed. Repeat to cover the remainder of the top.
2. Whilst you are covering the top, gently heat the marmalade so it’s easily spreadable. Use a pastry brush to spread it over the side of the cake. Break the remaining half of marzipan into small balls. Flatten each one in the palm of your hand into rough rectangles and apply to the side of the cake. Pinch any joins together and patch where necessary. Finally, smooth the top edges to make it seamless.
3. Transfer to a serving plate, cover loosely with foil and leave in a cool place to dry for 2 days if possible before icing.

Method for the icing:

1. Pour the aquafaba or egg white into a large bowl and whisk constantly until thick, white and bubbly. A soft peak is good.
2. Add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking all the time until it has all be used up. The icing will become thick and glossy.
3. Carefully spoon the icing onto the sides of the cake and smooth with a knife before covering the top. Decorate as desired.

Notes

• You will need a 23cm / 9-inch round or square loose-bottomed cake tin and an electric whisk for the icing.