Features of "A Fruity Affair Christmas Cake"

Ingredients for "A Fruity Affair Christmas Cake"
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200 gm butter
200 gm soft brown sugar
4 x eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
100 gm self-raising flour
200 gm flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
175 gm sultanas
250 gm black raisins
50 gm mixed peel
50 gm dried apricots - coarsely chopped
50 gm crystalised ginger - coarsely chopped
3 tbl Cointreau
Topping:
Apricot gel
5 x pecan nuts or walnuts - toasted

Method of cooking "A Fruity Affair Christmas Cake"

Method:GREASE a deep 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with a double layer of greaseproof paper. Sift the flours with the mixed spice. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and adding a little flour if the mixture shows signs of curdling. Beat in the essence. Fold in the sifted flours in batches, alternating it with a tablespoon of Cointreau each time. Mix fruits in a mixing bowl and add in 1 to 2 tablespoon flour. Stir fruits into the creamed mixture. Spoon the mixture into prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula. Knock tin lightly on a flat surface to break up any air bubbles. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees C for an hour, lower the temperature to 150 degrees C and continue to bake for another hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean and dry. Cool cake in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Topping:BRUSH apricot gel over cake. Arrange the pecan nuts in the centre of cake and brush with more gel to give the cake a beautiful sheen. Allow cake to dry before dusting with icing sugar.