Christmas Pineapple Fruit Cake

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170C/150C fan forced. Grease and line the bottom of a 2.8 litre metal pudding tin with a small disc of baking paper.
2. Place Fairy, sugar and water in a large saucepan over a medium heat and stir until melted. Stir in dried fruit and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof mixing bowl. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes. Stir in pineapple then eggs.
3. Add combined sifted flours in two batches. Mix until all the flour has been incorporated. Spoon into prepared tin. Smooth surface. Tap tin on bench a few times to settle mixture.
4. Bake for 1 hour. Cover with pudding tin lid. Bake for a further 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in tin. Turn out onto a wire rack.

Pure White Frosting

1. Place Copha in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on a low speed until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat for a further 3-4 minutes, or until creamy. Beat in vanilla.
2. Gradually add1 1/3 cup icing sugar at a time and boiling water, beating until combined. and smooth. If frosting isn’t smooth and fluffy, Microwave in 10 second bursts to soften and beat until fluffy.
3. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake, leaving a 2cm border uncovered around the bottom. Decorate with pineapple flowers.

Dried Pineapple Flowers

1. Preheat oven to 100C fan-forced (120C conventional). Place two wire racks over two large oven trays.
2. Remove ends from pineapple. Peel pineapple, cutting close enough to remove pineapple eyes.
3. Use a mandolin to shave pineapple into 3mm thick slices. A mandolin is preferable to be accurate but you can cut into very thin slices if you don’t have one.
4. Lay slices on absorbent paper towel and pat dry. Place in a single layer on wire racks. Dry in oven for 1 hour (longer for thicker slices, turning over halfway until lightly coloured, starting to dry out but still flexible. Thicker slices will take longer. Remove flowers before they become too brown and crisp.
5. Whilst flowers are hot, gently press into the holes of two egg cartons or a mini muffin pan to form flower to cool and set. Store, uncovered, in egg cartons or on a tray, at room temperature. Flowers can be made the day before.
6. Flowers that haven’t dried out completely will loose their stiffness the following day and may need more drying in muffin pans in oven again. Be careful to not brown too much. You can cover loosely with foil.

Tips: Pineapple Cake

• Fruit cake can be made up to three days ahead.
• Use the Fairy wrapper to grease baking trays, tins and pans.
• Place pineapple in a sieve over a bowl and press all the juice out with the back of a spoon.
• Frosted cake will keep in a cool place, covered loosely with plastic wrap for 1 week.
• Dried Pineapple Flowers are available at specialty cake decorating stores or make your own (separate recipe)

Tips: Frosting

• To soften Copha, leave it out of the fridge for at least 24 hours. Thinly slice or grate. Alternatively, run the outside of the mixing bowl under hot water then add sliced Copha and beat. Do not melt Copha.
• Frosting is best used immediately after beating as it becomes solid on standing. Soften in short 10 second bursts in the microwave then beat again with electric mixer to bring it back to a fluffy consistency.
• Frosting can be made the day before but will need heating in the microwave and beating to regain a fluffy consistency.