These rich Christmas fairy cakes are made with dark muscovado sugar and infused with mixed spices such as cinnamon and ginger.
With a drizzle of dark rum, a sprinkling of ground almonds, and the zest and juice of one orange, you’ve got yourself one mouth-watering, flavour-packed batch of fairy cakes. Decorate with holly sprigs.
Ingredients
- 200g dark muscovado sugar
- 175g butter, chopped
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 200g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- Zest and juice of one orange
- 85g ground almonds
- 100ml dark rum / brandy / orange juice
- 750g mixed dried fruit of your choice (e.g. raisins, glace cherries, apricots)
- 85g nuts (we used chopped pecans) 500g pack fondant icing sugar
- Holly sprigs to decorate
Method
First, weigh out your ingredients. Pour your sugar, butter, dried fruit, ginger orange zest and juice into a large pan.
Pour over the rum/brandy/juice and turn the heat on and slowly bring to the boil, stirring frequently to melt the butter.
Reduce the heat and bubble gently for 10 minutes – stir regularly. Set aside to cool.
Stir in the nuts, eggs and ground almonds into the fruit. Sift in the flour, baking powder and spices and stir everything together, gently but thoroughly. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Scoop the cake mix into 24 fairy cake cases then level tops with a spoon dipped in hot water. Bake for 35-45 mins until golden and just firm to touch. A skewer inserted should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Make up the fondant icing to a spreading consistency, then swirl on top of each cupcake, then leave to set. Will keep in a tin for 3 weeks.
Top tips for making Christmas fairy cakes
These Christmas fairy cakes will keep in an airtight container for up to three weeks without the icing. This makes them the perfect homemade food gift for friends and family at Christmas time.
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