Mini Christmas Cakes -Traditional Irish Fruit Cake

Presoak the Dried Fruit

1. The day before you intend baking your cakes, combine the dried fruits and pour the whiskey over them. Cover the whiskey soaked fruit and store overnight until use.

Prepare the Baking Tins

1. Prepare the cans by removing the contents, and paper label. Wash and dry the cans.
2. Cut a piece of wax or parchment paper, long enough to wrap around the inside of the can a couple of times and tall enough to extend at least an inch above the top of the can.
3. Grease the bottom of the can with a little oil or butter. Insert the paper inside the can.

Make the Christmas Cakes

1. Preheat the oven to 280 degrees F / 135 degrees C. Cream together the brown sugar and room temperature butter using a stand mixer, hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon.
2. Add one egg, mix it in well to the mixture, then add the other one an mix well.
3. Grate the orange zest into the mixture and stir and the mixed spices.
4. Finally add the soaked dried fruit. Be sure to include any whiskey that did not soak into the fruit.
5. Mix well. Stir from east to west and make a wish (refer to the FAQ for explanation!)
6. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tins as evenly as possible. I weighed each tin and took a little from some to add to others. The average weight of each tin containing cake mixture was 151g.
7. Place the cake tins in the oven for about 1 hour or until a wooden skewer or cake tester stick comes out dry.
8. Remove the cake tins from the oven and allow to completely cool. Then remove both ends of the cans using a can opener.
9. Push out the cakes from the can, remove the paper and cut evenly into two.
10. Place the cakes into a lidded metal container lined with wax or parchment paper.

Feed the Christmas Cakes

1. Using a thin wooden skewer or metal cake tester like I did, poke several holes into each cake.
2. With a plastic pipette or a very small spoon, distribute 1 tbsp of Irish whiskey between the 12 Mini Christmas Cakes.

Make the Marzipan

1. Add the ground almonds and powdered sugar into a food processor bowl.
2. Put the lid on and add cold water drop by drop through the feed tube of the processor. When it comes together, stop. This will take approximately 20 ml water.
3. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on your hands before gathering up the marzipan. Form into a ball and place onto a piece of plastic wrap.
4. Form a roll with the marzipan using the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Decorate Irish Christmas Cakes

1. Spread a thin layer of clear (ish)or light colored jam or preserve over the surface of the cakes. This jam will act as glue, helping the marzipan to stick to the cakes. I used quince jam, but apple jelly or orange marmalade will work well.
2. When the marzipan has chilled, roll it out on a surface dusted lightly with powdered sugar. Use a 5 cm / 2 inch fluted cutter to cut 12 discs of marzipan. Place them on each cake. Press gently to help them stick to the cakes.
3. Using the same jam / preserve, spread a thin layer, this time over the marzipan to help the fondant adhere.
4. Roll out the fondant on a board lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Using a 4 cm / 1¾ inch fluted cutter, cut out 12 discs of fondant. I used store bought fondant.
5. Place these discs onto the marzipan and press gently to help them stick.
6. With the leftover marzipan, color ⅓ of it red using a couple of drops of red food coloring and the remaining ⅔ green using a couple of drops of green food coloring. Cut holly leaves from the green dough and roll little balls from the red dough to form berries. Use the same jam to stick the decorations onto the fondant.
7. Once complete, store in a metal container with a tight fitting lid.