Better Homes and Gardens Australia — December 2017

Coffee and fig fruit cakes

These snowflake-shaped

morsels take delicious

rich and dark fruit cake to

sophisticated new heights.

CHRISTMAS TREATS

COFFEE AND FIG

FRUIT CAKES

Preparation time 20 mins

Cooking time 1 hour 40 mins

Makes 12

Cooking oil spray, to grease

200g soft and juicy dried

figs, finely chopped

1¼ cups sultanas

1¾ cups plain flour

125g butter, chopped, softened

1 cup CSR dark brown

sugar, firmly packed

2 free-range eggs

½ cup CSR treacle

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 Tbsp instant coffee granules,

dissolved in 1 Tbsp boiling water

1 Tbsp coffee-flavoured liqueur

Double cream, to serve

Fresh figs, to serve

Store-bought caramel sauce, to serve

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 140°C fan-

forced (160°C conventional). Grease

a 6-hole festive cakelet pan with

cooking oil. Put it on an oven tray.

STEP 2 Put figs and sultanas into

a large bowl and add 1 Tbsp

of flour. Toss well to coat.

STEP 3 Put butter and brown

sugar in a large bowl and beat with

electric hand beaters on high speed

for 1 minute until well combined

and slightly pale in colour.

STEP 4 Add eggs and treacle and beat

on medium speed until just combined.

STEP 5 Sift in cinnamon, ginger,

nutmeg, bicarb and remaining

flour. Stir until half of the flour

has been mixed through.

STEP 6 Pour in coffee mixture

and stir until coffee and remaining

flour are incorporated.

STEP 7 Stir in dried fruit mixture.

STEP 8 Spoon^1 / 3 cup of mixture

into each hole. Bake for 50 minutes.

Set aside in pan for 10 minutes

and then carefully turn out onto

a wire rack. Brush with liqueur.

STEP 9 Repeat Step 8 with remaining

batter to make 12 in total.

STEP 10 Serve cakes warm or at

room temperature with cream and

figs and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

COFFEE AND FIG CUPCAKES

To make Coffee and fig cupcakes,

follow Steps 1–7 of Coffee and fig fruit

cakes, lining 20 holes of two 12-hole

(^1) / 3 cup-capacity muffin trays with paper
cases. Spoon mixture evenly into holes.
Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked
when tested with a skewer. Brush with
liqueur then transfer to a wire rack
to cool completely. To decorate, roll
30g white ready-to-roll icing into a
cupcake-sized disc. Press disc onto a
doily or a decorative plate to imprint
pattern on icing. Use a round cookie
cutter to create a clean shape. Repeat
to make 20 discs. Spread 2 tsp of store-
bought vanilla frosting on each cake,
then top with decorative icing disc.
STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 7
STEPS