Luxury Christmas cake with macadamia and cranberry honey praline is the perfect holiday indulgence. This delicious cake has it all! Nutty, slightly spicy, sweet and utterly delicious. Bring out the eggnog and celebrate the festive cheer with this delicious dessert.
Luxury Christmas cake with macadamia and cranberry honey praline
Ingredients
Cake
- 250g fruit mix
- 200g currants
- 50g prunes, pitted and
- coarsely chopped
- 250g dates, coarsely chopped
- 250g glacé cherries
- 100g mixed peel
- 100g glacé ginger
- 200g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
- zest and juice of 1 lemon, finely chopped
- zest and juice of 1 orange, finely chopped
- 80g chunky marmalade, plus extra for brushing
- 100g treacle sugar
- 125g butter
- 3 eggs
- 50ml espresso or 15ml instant coffee granules dissolved in 15ml hot water
- 250g cake flour, sifted
- 15ml Dutch or other good-quality cocoa powder
- 5ml baking powder
- 200ml brandy, plus extra for pouring
- icing sugar, for dusting
Praline
- 200g castor sugar
- 15ml honey
- 150g macadamias
- 50g dried cranberries
- 100g white chocolate, cut in chunks
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 150°C. Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with 4 sheets of baking paper. The paper must extend 5cm above the edge of the tin.
In a large saucepan, combine the dried fruit, cherries, mixed peel, ginger and nuts together with the lemon and orange zest and juice, marmalade, sugar and butter. Heat gently while stirring until everything is well incorporated. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
Lightly whisk the eggs together with the espresso. Sift the dry ingredients. Stir the flour mixture into the cooked fruit in batches, alternating with the egg mixture. Lastly, stir in the brandy.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and shake the tin gently to level out the mixture. Bake until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean, about 2 hours.
To make the praline, place the castor sugar and honey in a heavybottomed saucepan. Caramelise until deep golden brown. Add the nuts and cranberries and stir briefly to combine. Pour onto a lined, greased baking tray. When the praline is cool enough to touch, pull it apart with your hands to make chunky, rustic pieces. Allow to cool completely.
Remove the cake from the tin and pour the brandy over the hot cake. Allow to cool thoroughly.
To assemble the cake, brush the surface with marmalade thinned with a little brandy and arrange the praline and chocolate on top. Dust with icing sugar.
Notes
Cook's tip: This cake can be made up to 3 months in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge, or kept frozen for up to 12 months.
