Last-minute Pineapple Christmas Cake

If you are not an expert baker (that’s where I fit!) and would like an easy Christmas cake recipe, try this!  It’s quick to make, lovely and moist courtesy of the pineapple, great taste and has a no-fuss icing.  If you love fruit cake, then you can dress it up for other celebrations as well. (It’s a good idea to keep it in cool place until it’s all gone.)

 

 

Last-minute Pineapple Christmas Cake 

150g butter, coarsely chopped
1 cup brown sugar
440g can crushed pineapple
500g mixed dried fruit (or 400g bag plus 1 cup washed sultanas)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp rum
1 cup flour
1 cup self-raising flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 140C fan bake.  Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line base with nonstick baking paper
2. Place butter, sugar, pineapple and juice in a saucepan, then stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves.  Stir in dried fruit and simmer gently for 3 minutes.  Remove to a bowl and cool.
3. Stir in the beaten eggs and rum, then stir in the flours, baking soda and spices, sifted together.  Spoon mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface.
4. Bake for 90 minutes (at 140C) or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Cool the cake in the tin before turning out.  Spread with butter icing once the cake has cooled completely.

Butter Icing

100g butter, softened
4 cups icing sugar, sifted to remove lumps
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp boiling water

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat by hand until creamy.