African Vanielje on Dec 16 2007 at 4:18 pm | Filed under: Uncategorized
This cake needs to be made at least two weeks in advance, and can be made a couple of months before you need it.
Cream
- 280g Caster Sugar
- 280 g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
until fluffy
Beat in
- 5 large eggs, one by one
Add
- finely grated zest of two unwaxed organic oranges
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
If your mix curdles add a little flour to bind it.
Pour into a large bowl and using a metal spoon, fold in
- 4 Tablespoons liqueur (Grand Marnier, Amaretto, Cognac, Cointreau)
- 175g sifted plain flour
- 300g combined weight of dried cranberries, blueberries and sour cherries
- 1kg combined weight ground almonds, walnut pieces, pistachios, chopped candied fruit, chopped candied peel, chopped glace ginger (or chinese stem ginger), chopped dried apricots, sultanas
Once this is well mixed pour into cake tin which has been double lined with baking parchment.
Make a slight hollow in the middle of the cake as it will rise.
Bake for 1 hour @170*C
Lower the oven temperature to 150*C and bake for a further hour
If you find the cake is browning too quickly putt double parchment on the top
Cool for 30 minutes in the tin, then turn out
When cold, wrap in parchment and then tinfoil until it is ready to decorate.
Feed every 2 weeks with a tablespoon of liqueur. This both preserves it and ensures it doesn’t dry out.
When ready to decorate melt 2 Tablespoons of smooth apricot jam with 1 Tablespoon of Brandy and brush the glaze all over the cake.
Cover with marzipan and let dry for at least 24 hours
brush the marzipan with a little water and cover with rolled fondant icing, or decorate with royal icing.
Paint and decorate.
Thank you for trying a Vanielje Kitchen recipe. I hope it fed you mind, body and soul.
