Ultimate Fruit Cake for the holidays

Preparing the fruits

1. The day before baking, place the dried fruits in a large bowl. Add the tea, orange juice and stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight.

Making the fondant icing

1. Combine water, corn syrup, and icing sugar and stir until combined.

2. Cook over low heat. Don't allow the temperature to exceed 50OC. Remove from heat and set aside to completely cool down before using.

Making the cake

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric hand whisk or stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar until the mixture is light, smooth.

3. Beat one egg into the creamed butter, and then beat in 1/4th of the dry ingredients. Repeat this step until all the eggs and flour mix are used. Add the treacle syrup; stir gently using a spoon or spatula.

4. Add the fruit mixture, nuts and candied orange in to the cake mixture, folding gently, until all the fruits are incorporated into the mixture.

5. Spoon the mixture into a prepared cake pan and gently smooth and level the surface. Make sure that you only fill 2/4th of the pan so that the cake has space to rise.

6. Bake at 180C for 45 minutes, or until the cake is a golden brown colour and a cake tester or knife comes out clean. Remove and place it on a wire rack and let it cool completely.

7. Roll a piece of marzipan as the same size of the cake and place it over the cake. Drizzle the icing over it and let it set.