Audrey Rose has been baking since her childhood years but baked her first Christmas cake at the age of 23. “Getting the texture and taste right” is, she tells Thursday Food, the biggest challenge. That said, having mastered it, the result is Christmas cakes that are full of love, time, thought, rich texture and quality ingredients.

Her must-have ingredient is a well-fermented mixture of dried fruits.

Christmas Fruitcake

Ingredients:

1/2 lb sugar

1/2 lb butter

1/2 lb flour

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp rosewater

1 tsp almond essence

1 tsp lime juice

1.5 lbs soaked mixed fruits

1.5 cup fruit wine

½ cup rum

3-4 tbsp browning

Method:

Combine butter and sugar until fluffy.

Beat eggs and add to mixture, add vanilla lime juice, almond essence and rosewater.

Combine flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and mix well.

Fold the flour into the creamed mixture alternately with the browning, fruit wine and rum soaked mixed fruits.

Scrape batter into a greased (9-inch) baking tin and bake for one to one and half hours at 350°C or until skewer or toothpick insert comes out clean.