Almond and Caramel Fruit Cake
An irresistible recipe that everyone will swoon over! If you love sweet and crunchy caramel, this one's for you!
INGREDIENTS
Cake Ingredients
3 cups Tasti Fruit Mix
150g dates, finely chopped
150g dried apricots, finely chopped
100g mixed peel
100g sliced almonds
150ml Cointreau
1 orange, zested
250g unsalted butter, softened
275g caster sugar
5 eggs
200g plain flour
75g self-raising flour
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Caramel and Almond Topping
440g caster sugar
300g sliced almonds
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 150C. Grease and line the base and sides of a cake pan with baking paper.
2. To prepare the fruit mixture for the cake, combine fruits, almonds, Cointreau and orange zest in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until just combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Sift the flours and spices into the egg mixture, add the fruit mixture and stir well to combine. Spoon the batter into the cake pan, level, then bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the topping, stir sugar and 180ml water in a small pot over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil until a golden caramel colour. Add the sliced almonds, then carefully spoon over the cake. Leave for 10 minutes or until the topping is hard. The cake will keep in plastic wrap in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.