Fruit Slab Cake Food

RICH FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• The night before, pour 75ml of the brandy over the fruit, cover and leave to sit, letting the fruit soak up the alcohol.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line a deep, 25cm square cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside, so that it comes about 2.5cm above the sides of the tin, and secure with string.
• Sift the flour, spices, cocoa powder and ½ tsp salt together. Mix a third of this mixture into the soaked fruit. Cream the butter, zests and sugar until light and fluffy, stir in the treacle, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in half the remaining flour mixture. Once mixed, fold in the fruit mixture followed by the remaining flour mixture.
• Spoon into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with a palette knife. Bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins, checking the cake with 15 mins to go. When a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, it's ready.
• Leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To store, peel off the baking parchment, poke holes into the cake and feed with the remaining brandy. Wrap well in cling film. Will keep for three months.

100% FRUIT "CAKE"

Steps:

• To create the base tier of the cake, cut 3 slices of watermelon, 1 to 2 inches thick, crossways through the center of the melon. Trim the rind from the watermelon slices, and place the largest slice onto a cake plate. Alternate layering sliced strawberries, slices of cantaloupe, and slices of fresh pineapple; follow with the second-largest watermelon slice. Repeat once more to make a layered fruit stack that looks like a cake.
• Thinly slice a few pieces of remaining melon and pineapple. With cookie cutters or a sharp knife, cut remaining fruit slices into decorative shapes. Decorate the cake tiers with the cut fruit shapes and remaining berries.
• Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, slice the cake with a sharp knife, one wedge at a time, and set the wedge onto a plate.

FRUIT SLAB CAKE

Steps:

• Cream margarine and sugar then gradually add in the eggs.
• Fold in remaining ingredients, pour into loaf tin and bake at 350F for 1 hour.