Name: Buttery light fruit cake with almond crumble
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Almond crumble; 1/2 cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour; 60 gram (2 ounces) butter; 2 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar; 90 gram (3 ounces) marzipan or almond paste; 1/2 cup (40g) natural sliced almonds; 1 cup (160g) sultanas; 1/2 cup (85g) coarsely chopped raisins; 1/2 cup (125g) coarsely chopped glacé peach; 1/2 cup (125g) coarsely chopped glacé apricot; 1/4 cup (60g) coarsely chopped glacé orange rind; 1/4 cup (50g) coarsely chopped red glacé cherries; 1/2 cup (125ml) orange-flavoured liqueur; 185 gram (6 ounces) butter, at room temperature; 2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar; 2 eggs, at room temperature; 1/3 cup (80g) sour cream; 3/4 cup (90g) ground almonds; 3/4 cup (110g) plain (all-purpose) flour; 1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour

Buttery light fruit cake with almond crumble

A crunchy almond topping makes this delicious Christmas fruit cake different from the rest. Perfect served with a pot of hot tea.

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Serves 12

Cook

1H 45M

Ingredients

Almond crumble

1/2 cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour

60 gram (2 ounces) butter

2 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar

90 gram (3 ounces) marzipan or almond paste

1/2 cup (40g) natural sliced almonds

1 cup (160g) sultanas

1/2 cup (85g) coarsely chopped raisins

1/2 cup (125g) coarsely chopped glacé peach

1/2 cup (125g) coarsely chopped glacé apricot

1/4 cup (60g) coarsely chopped glacé orange rind

1/4 cup (50g) coarsely chopped red glacé cherries

1/2 cup (125ml) orange-flavoured liqueur

185 gram (6 ounces) butter, at room temperature

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup (80g) sour cream

3/4 cup (90g) ground almonds

3/4 cup (110g) plain (all-purpose) flour

1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour

Method

1.To make almond crumble, place flour in medium bowl; rub in butter until crumbly. Stir in sugar, crumbled marzipan and nuts.

2.Combine fruit and liqueur in large bowl. Cover; stand about 1 hour or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir well.

3.Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F. Grease deep 14cm x 23cm (5½ inch x 9¼-inch) loaf pan; line base and sides with two thicknesses of baking paper, extending paper 5cm (2 inches) above sides.

4.Beat butter, extract and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time; beat in sour cream. Stir butter mixture into fruit mixture, then stir in ground almonds and sifted flours. Spoon mixture into pan; smooth surface. Sprinkle with almond crumble.

5.Bake cake about 1¾ hours. Cover with foil; cool cake in pan.

Use Cointreau, Curaçao or Grand Marnier for a citrus flavoured liqueur. Cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.
Note

Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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