Description
Sweet mini fruit cakes sparkle with seasonal charm, delivering delightful bites of pure indulgence. Rich with candied fruits, spices, and a hint of holiday magic, these petite treats will enchant dessert lovers seeking classic comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit Base:
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) dried mixed fruit
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) rum (or strong black tea)
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) rum (or strong black tea) for brushing
Wet Ingredients:
- 200 grams (7 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 grams) firmly packed brown sugar
- 4 free-range eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups (156 grams) plain flour
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) almond meal
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Macerate dried mixed fruit in rum or tea overnight, allowing the fruit to absorb the liquid and become plump and flavorful.
- Prepare an 8-hole mini loaf pan by greasing and lining with baking paper, ensuring easy removal of the cakes.
- Use an electric mixer to cream butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest until the mixture becomes light, airy, and pale in color.
- Gradually incorporate eggs into the creamed mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition to create a smooth, homogeneous batter.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, and almond meal to eliminate any lumps and ensure even distribution of dry ingredients.
- Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the butter mixture, mixing until just combined to maintain the cake’s delicate texture.
- Carefully incorporate the rum-soaked fruit into the batter, distributing evenly to ensure each cake has a generous amount of fruit.
- Divide the batter equally among the loaf pan cavities, smoothing the tops to create uniform mini cakes.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan-forced) for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While still warm, brush the cakes with additional rum or tea to enhance moisture and flavor.
- Allow cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the icing by mixing icing sugar and lemon juice, gradually adding boiling water until achieving a thick yet pourable consistency.
- Once cooled, drizzle the icing over the cakes, creating an elegant finish.
- Garnish with dried orange slices and fresh rosemary sprigs for a festive and aromatic presentation.
Notes
- Soak fruit overnight to enhance moisture and infuse deep rum or tea flavor, ensuring rich taste absorption.
- Use room temperature eggs and butter for smoother, more consistent cake batter that blends effortlessly.
- Replace rum with orange juice for non-alcoholic version, maintaining bright citrus undertones while keeping cake family-friendly.
- Gently fold fruit into batter to prevent overmixing, which maintains delicate cake texture and prevents dense, tough results.
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 225
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 70mg