Golden Amaretti Christmas Cake Food

AMARETTO CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140Fan/300F/Gas Mark 2.
• It's definitely worth taking the time to line your cake tin correctly to protect the cake during its long baking time.
• Grease a loose bottomed 23cm round cake tin (10cm deep) and line the base and sides with non stick baking paper. Cut out a circle of baking paper, using the base of your tin as a template.
• To line the sides, cut a strip of baking paper a little longer than the circumference of the tin and about 3 inches higher. Fold it 1 inch along its length, then using scissors make little snips up to the fold line, making a fringe along the length. It should now fit snugly inside the cake tin. Finally, fit your circle over the top, covering the fringe.
• Place the dried fruits in a large saucepan with the Amaretto, butter, sugar, Orange zest and juice, lemon zest, treacle, cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg.
• Gently bring to a simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture sit for at least 1 hour. I've often done this in advance and left it overnight.
• When you're ready to bake the cake, pour the soaked fruit mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds. Stir until everything is well combined.
• Pour into the lined tin and bake for 2-2 1/2 hours or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Leave to cool completely in the tin.
• When the cake is completely cold, poke a few holes in the cake, drizzle with a little Amaretto, then wrap in a double layer of baking paper and foil and store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan the nonstick spray. Refrigerate. Microwave the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds, for about 1 minute.
• Combine the almonds and cookies in processor. Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Transfer the nut mixture to a medium bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Add the grated orange peel and pulse briefly, until incorporated. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Blend until the eggs are incorporated. Clean the sides of the mixing bowl and blend again. Add the nut mixture and melted chocolate. Pulse until blended. Clean the sides of the bowl. Blend again.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the cake to a platter. Sift the cocoa powder over and serve.