Traditional MannaBrew Fruit Cake

Makes 4 individual cakes

Difficulty: Moderate
Preparation time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes 

SOAKED FRUIT

410ml (1⅔ cups) MannaBrew Superfood Espresso, strong brewed and cooled
70g currants
60g dried apricots
50g candied orange
40g candied cherries 

BATTER

75g salted butter, softened
125ml (½ cup) treacle sugar
10ml (2 tsp) molasses
1 large egg, whisked
5ml (1 tsp) lemon zest
5ml (1 tsp) orange zest
310ml (1¼ cups) cake flour
40g MannaBrew Organic Mesquite Flour
1.25ml (¼ tsp) salt
2.5ml (½ tsp) ground allspice
2.5ml (½ tsp) ground cinnamon
1.25ml (¼ tsp) ground nutmeg
2.5ml (½ tsp) bicarbonate of soda

BRANDY SYRUP

80ml (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
160ml (⅔ cup) brandy 

TO DECORATE

140g marzipan

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease four 7cm x 2.5cm round cake tins with non-stick cooking spray.
2. For die-soaked fruit, combine all ingredients and allow to soak for 30 minutes.
3. For the batter, cream the butter, sugar, and molasses until pale, 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the egg, lemon zest, and orange zest.
4. Sieve all the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
5. Fold the dry ingredients through the butter mixture.
6. Strain the soaked fruit and add the fruit to the batter. Reserve the strained liquid.
7. Divide the mixture between the cake tins and bake for 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
8. For the brandy syrup, combine the reserved liquid used to soak the fruit with the sugar and allow it to boil for 2 minutes. Add the brandy and pour the syrup over the warm fruit cakes.
9. To decorate, roll the marzipan out to a thickness of 2mm thick. Cut 4 discs with a 7cm diameter each. Decorate with a cookie stamp to create a pattern.
10. Once the fruit cakes have cooled, decorate with the marzipan.

TIP: To create a diamond pattern on marzipan, press diagonal lines into the surface using a palette knife. Then, turn the knife 90 degrees and press again.