Mini chocolate cranberry christmas cakes

Ingredients

• 350 g / 1 2 ¼ oz dried soft prunes, chopped
• 200 g / 7 oz dried cranberries
• 200 g / 7 oz sultanas
• 175 g / 6 ¼ oz unsalted butter, softened
• 175 g / 6 ¼ oz dark brown sugar
• 175 ml / 6 ¼ fl oz honey
• 125 ml / 4 ½ fl oz rum
• 2 oranges, juice and zest
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 2 tablespoons good quality cocoa
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 150 g / 5 ¼ oz self raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 75 g / 2 ½ oz ground almonds

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C/300 degrees F/Gas 2. Line the sides and bottom of a 20 cm / 8in, 9cm / 3 ½ in deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of baking parchment.
• When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself; the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.
• Also cut a disc of baking parchment to fit the diameter of the tin. When the cake has set you can pop this little hat on the top to help stop any scorching.
• Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, rum, orange juice and zest, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. Let the mixture simmer for ten minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little. Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, and bicarbonate soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.
• Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1¾-2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look.
• At this point, if you insert a skewer into the middle of the cake, the tip should be slightly sticky. Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.

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