Tropical Christmas Cake

Copyright: https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/tropical-christmas-cake/16389692-73f1-4f20-94b3-95577e365379

Pricing valid December 2025 only, while stocks last.
All Oceans – Where Every Meal Tell’s A Story

Serves 10 | Prep Time 1h | Cooking Time 2h45min

For a new take on fruitcake, make it golden and summery with sweet, tropical mango and pineapple.

INGREDIENTS:

125ml (1/2 cup) Grand Marnier
250g dried pineapple, coarsely chopped
100g dried apricots, coarsely chopped
100g glace cherries, halved
60g dried mango, coarsely chopped
50g glace ginger, coarsely chopped
Melted butter, to grease
200g butter
215g (1 cup) caster sugar
3 eggs
200g (1/2 cup) lemon curd
2 tsp vanilla essence
190g (1 1/4 cups) plain flour, sifted
150g (1 cup) self-raising flour, sifted
2 tsp mixed spice
250ml (1 cup) coconut milk
1 egg white
230g (1 1/2 cups) pure icing sugar, sifted
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Silver cachous, to decorate
Icing sugar, to dust
Pineapple flowers
1 small fresh pineapple, peeled, thinly sliced
1 tbsp caster sugar

TO COOK:

Combine the Grand Marnier, pineapple, apricot, cherry, mango and ginger in a large bowl. Set aside for 1 hour to soak.

To make the pineapple flowers, preheat oven to 180ºC. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Place pineapple on the trays. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly crisp. Set aside for 2 minutes to cool. Remove from trays. Pinch the core to shape each slice into a flower. Set aside on trays to cool completely.

Reduce oven temperature to 160ºC. Brush a 7.5cm-deep, 22cm (base measurement) round cake pan with melted butter. Line with non-stick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat butter in a small bowl until soft. Add caster sugar. Beat until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lemon curd and vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl.

Mix the combined flour and mixed spice in a bowl. Use a large metal spoon to fold the flour mixture and coconut milk, in alternating batches, into the egg mixture. Fold in the fruit mixture. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Tap the pan on the bench to settle the mixture. Place on a baking tray. Bake for 2 hours 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover the surface with a clean tea towel. Set aside in pan on a wire rack to cool overnight.

Before serving: Whisk the egg white in a large bowl until frothy. Whisk in icing sugar, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the lemon juice until mixture reaches pouring consistency. Place the cake on a serving plate. Pour over the icing, allowing it to drip down the side. Set aside until set. Arrange the pineapple flowers on top. Top with cachous and dust with icing sugar.

Make it ahead: Place the un-iced cake in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month. Alternatively, to freeze, wrap the un-iced cake in 2 layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once iced, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.