Honey saffron Christmas cake
Has all the flavours of Christmas without being too heavy and can be made at the last minute too
Classic winter fruitcake
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Easy
- Enough icing for the top
Skip to ingredients
For the decoration
- 1 egg white
- 50g caster sugar
- small bunch black grapes
- hollyor bay leaves
- 20cm/8 inch round fruitcake
- 1-2 clementines
- 1-2 just ripe figs
- a few kumquat
- a few physalis(Cape gooseberries)
- approx 65cm red or gold ribbon
For the frosting
- 2 egg whites
- 175g icing sugar
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal0
- fat0g
- saturates0g
- carbs0g
- sugars0g
- fibre0g
- protein0g
- salt0glow
Method
step 1
Lightly beat the egg white in a shallow bowl and spread out the caster sugar on a baking sheet or tray. Dip the grapes and the holly or bay leaves into the egg white, or use a paintbrush. Shake off the excess, then coat in the sugar. Set aside to dry for at least 10 mins, ideally about 30 mins.
step 2
When you’re ready to decorate, make the frosting. Put a large bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Put the egg whites and icing sugar into the bowl and whisk for 5-7 mins until you have a thick, very glossy frosting. Use a spatula to clean around the edges of the bowl every so often as you whisk. Scoop the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread it around with a flat-edged knife, swirling as you go to create a snowy effect (see Knowhow, below).
step 3
Halve the clementines, figs and kumquats, then arrange on top of the frosted cake with the physalis, frosted grapes and leaves. Fix a ribbon around the base and leave the cake somewhere cool – but not the fridge – until your guests arrive.
