Description
Snow-topped holly cakes are a festive, richly spiced fruitcake featuring a luscious blend of dried fruits, nuts, and warming spices, topped with marzipan and a sweet fondant icing decorated with holly sprigs and glace cherries. Perfect for holiday celebrations, this traditional cake is soaked with rum, brandy, or orange juice for deep flavor and has a moist, dense texture that keeps well.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit Mixture
- 8 glacé cherries
- small holly sprigs, washed and dried
- 200g dark muscovado sugar
- 175g butter, chopped
- 700g luxury mixed dried fruits
- 50g glacé cherries
- 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger
- zest and juice of 1 orange
- 100ml dark rum, brandy, or orange juice
Dry and Binding Ingredients
- 85g pecans
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 85g ground almonds
- 200g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Toppings and Decoration
- 250g pack marzipan, halved
- icing sugar, for dusting
- 2 tbsp warmed apricot jam
- 500g pack fondant icing sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Fruit Mixture: Tip the sugar, butter, mixed dried fruits, whole glacé cherries, grated fresh ginger, orange zest, and juice into a large pan. Pour over the rum, brandy, or orange juice and gently heat, stirring frequently to melt the butter. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
- Make Batter: Stir in the pecans, beaten eggs, and ground almonds into the cooled fruit mixture. Sift flour, baking powder, mixed spice, and cinnamon over the mixture and gently fold everything together until well combined, forming a thick batter.
- Prepare Baking Tin and Bake: Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan) or Gas Mark 2. Butter and line an 18cm square cake tin with baking paper. Spoon the batter into the tin, leveling the top with a spoon dipped in boiling water. Bake for 45 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 140°C (120°C fan) or Gas Mark 1 and bake for an additional hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
- Trim and Roll Marzipan: Cut the cooled cake into two equal halves and trim the edges to reveal the cake texture on all sides. Dust a surface with icing sugar and roll out each half of the marzipan to the size of the top of each cake piece.
- Apply Marzipan and Jam: Brush the tops of the cake halves generously with warmed apricot jam. Place the jam-side down onto the rolled marzipan and trim excess marzipan to fit the cake dimensions perfectly.
- Prepare and Apply Fondant Icing: Mix the fondant icing sugar to a smooth, spreadable consistency. Spread the icing over the marzipan on each cake so it slightly drips over the edges, creating a snow-topped effect.
- Decorate: Decorate the iced cakes with the remaining glacé cherries and small holly sprigs. Allow the icing to set at room temperature. Store in a plastic container in a cool place and consume within 4 to 7 days.
Notes
- The mixture can be gently simmered but should not be boiled vigorously to keep fruit intact.
- Using rum or brandy adds depth of flavor, but orange juice is a good alcohol-free substitute.
- The cake keeps well when wrapped in foil for up to 2 months and can be frozen for up to 1 year.
- Ensure holly sprigs used for decoration are non-toxic and washed thoroughly before use.
- Using a spoon dipped in boiling water to smooth batter ensures a flat and even cake surface.
- Allow sufficient cooling time before trimming and decorating to avoid melting the marzipan or icing.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: holly cake, festive fruitcake, Christmas cake, marzipan cake, traditional fruitcake, holiday dessert, spiced fruitcake
