Monday December 19th, 2022

A cake with Christmas flavor, made with candied fruit, such as raisins and prunes, spices and a touch of brandy, is sure to surprise your guests!

Follow the recipe below and delight yourself with this dessert that is the face of Christmas!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 and ⅔ cup of flour
• 200 g butter at room temperature
• 1 and ½ cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup nuts (about 120 g)
• ½ cup candied fruit (about 80 g)
• ½ cup white raisins (about 70 g)
• 1 cup pitted prunes (about 150 g)
• ¼ cup cognac (or rum)
• ½ tablespoon baking powder
• ½ tablespoon powdered cinnamon
• 1 pinch of clove powder
• freshly grated nutmeg to taste
• icing sugar to taste to decorate
• butter and flour for greasing and sprinkling

 

PREPARATION

• Preheat the oven to 180 ºC. Grease a baking pan with a hole in the middle with butter (22 cm in diameter is ideal). Sprinkle it with flour. Tap it over the sink to remove the excess flour and set it aside. 
• On a board, chop the walnuts. Chop the prunes into small cubes and transfer to a bowl. Add the raisins and drizzle with the cognac. Let it soak while you prepare the other ingredients. 
• In a bowl, sift the flour. Add the yeast, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, the clove and the chopped walnuts. Mix well. 
• In the bowl of the mixer, add the butter and beat for about 2 minutes until it reaches a creamy consistency. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed for about 10 minutes, until it forms a fluffy cream. In a bowl, break one egg at a time and add to the cream, beating well between each addition to incorporate. 
• Add the dry mixture little by little and beat with each addition just to blend. Turn off and remove the bowl from the mixer. 
• Over a bowl, pass the prunes and raisins through a sieve and reserve the cognac. Add the dried fruit to the cake dough, add the candied fruit and mix delicately with a spatula. 
• Transfer the dough to the greased baking pan and gently tap it on the counter to level it. Place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes. To know if the cake is baked, just stick a toothpick in the dough, it should come out clean.
• Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding. 
• Unmold and brush the entire surface of the cake with the reserved brandy – the warm cake absorbs the brandy and becomes moist and fragrant. Once cool, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.