Christmas Cake

This traditional Christmas cake is a delightful blend of rich flavors and textures, featuring a medley of dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices. The cake is moist and dense, perfect for the holiday season, and it's adorned with a festive marzipan and royal icing finish. This recipe honors classic techniques while incorporating a touch of creativity with the addition of orange zest and a splash of brandy for extra depth of flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, and chopped dried apricots)
• 1 cup mixed nuts (walnuts and almonds), chopped
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup brandy or orange juice
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup marzipan (for decoration)
• 1/2 cup royal icing (for decoration)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and grease a round cake pan.
2. In a bowl, combine the mixed dried fruits and nuts with a tablespoon of flour to coat them. This helps prevent them from sinking in the batter.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the brandy (or orange juice) and orange zest.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the floured fruits and nuts.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and level the top with a spatula.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Once cooled, cover the cake with marzipan and then decorate with royal icing as desired.