Menier Chocolate Christmas Cake
This Christmas cake pulls out all the stops, it is rich in dried fruits housed in a decadent chocolate and spiced batter. Dense, flavourful, with hints of cinnamon and mixed spice.
Servings:
15
yield(s)
Prep Time:
30
mins
Cook Time:
120
mins
Total Time:
150
mins
Ingredients
-
225
g
sultanas
-
225g
g
raisins
-
200g
g
currants
-
200
g
glace cherries
-
150
g
dried apricots
(roughly chopped)
-
125
g
dried figs
(roughly chopped)
-
150
ml
brandy
-
200
g
unsalted butter
-
200
g
dark brown soft sugar
-
100
g
Menier dark Chocolate
(broken)
-
1
tsp
vanilla extract
-
2
tbsp
black treacle
-
200
g
self raising flour
-
100
g
ground almonds
-
3
tbsp
Menier cocoa powder
-
1
tsp
mixed spice
-
1/2
tsp
ground cinnamon
-
3
free-range eggs
(beaten)
Instructions
-
Place all the dried fruit into a large bowl and add the brandy. Stir well and leave to soak overnight.
-
Put the butter, sugar, chocolate, vanilla, treacle and soaked dried fruits into a large saucepan. Heat gently until everything has melted together and is fully combined.
-
Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas mark 2. Line a deep loose bottomed cake tin, 23cm round or 20cm square, with baking parchment.
-
In a bowl mix the flour, almonds, cocoa and spices together. Stir the eggs into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture in the saucepan, followed by the flour mixture.
-
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 ½ hrs - 1 ¾ hours or until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool in the tin, once cooled remove from the tin and wrap in greaseproof paper and store in an air-tight container until ready to decorate. Enjoy!