Macadamia nut, bush honey and fig christmas cake

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 4 hours

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 250 g raw unsalted macadamias
• 200g pitted prunes - roughly chopped 
• 120g dried figs, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 200g seedless raisins
• 200 g sultanas
• 200 g currants
• 60ml bush honey
• Zest and Juice of 1 orange 
• 185 ml brandy
• 185 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 110 g dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 225 g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground ginger

Topping

• 100g raw unsalted macadamias
• 40g pecans
• 140g figs, halved
• 75g pitted Medjool dates, cut into thirds
• 1 Tbs bush honey

Method

1. Preheat oven 130C fan forced and arrange the oven shelves so that it is positioned in the bottom third of the oven.
2. Grease and line the base and sides 22cm round cake tin with a double layer of baking paper, allowing the paper lining the sides to reach about 5 cm above the top of the tin.
3. Place raisins, currents, sultanas, chopped prunes, chopped figs, and 50g of chopped macadamia nuts in a bowl add honey, orange juice, zest and brandy. Leave to soak overnight.  
4. In seperate bowl cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract. 
5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
6. Add soaked dried fruit and  remaining 200g raw macadamia nuts and mix for 30 seconds. 
7. Add flour, baking powder and spices and mix until combined. 
8. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface
9. Tap cake tin 4 times on kitchen bench to remove any air pockets.
10. Decorate the top with extra dried fruit and nuts.
11. Wrap outside rim of cake tin in double layer of brown paper or cardboard. Secure with kitchen string.
12. Cover the top of cake with foil and bake 3 hours. Remove foil and bake a further 1 hour or until just cooked (skewer)
13. Pour the remaining 60ml of brandy evenly over the top of the hot cake.
14. Warm honey and drizzle over the top. Brush gently to spread evenly.
15. Remove brown paper and trim or fold over any overhanging paper, cover the tin well with foil and then wrap the cake, still in the tin, in 2 tea towels.
16. Cool overnight.

Baker’s tips

This cake will keep wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks. If you don’t use the nuts, it will last for up to 3 months

Choose a fragrant bush honey