• 3 cups (520g) spoon sweets (walnut, citron (bitter orange), green citron, bergamot, etc.) rinsed and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup (60g) finely chopped dates
• 1/3 cup (45g) finely chopped dried figs
• 1/3 cup (60g) chopped dried golden apples (apricots)
• 3/4 cup (100g) coarsely ground almonds
• 3/4 cup (85g) coarsely ground walnuts
• 2 teaspoons (6g) ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon (3g) ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon (1g) ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon (4g) ground ginger
• 1 cup (230g) sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup (150ml) Petimezi (grape molasses)
• ½ cup (125ml) orange juice
• ½ cup (125ml) Commandaria wine
• ½ cup (125ml) brandy
• ¾ cup (200g) unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 level teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups (300g) Self-Raising Flour
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee
For the Royal Icing
• 4 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 1/3 cups (900g) icing sugar
For Decoration
• rosemary
• raspberries
METHOD
For the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease and flour a round 26 cm tin or pan. Place parchment paper on the bottom.
2. In a saucepan, combine the spoon sweets, dates, figs, golden apples, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, the two types of sugar, molasses, orange juice, Commandaria wine, and unsalted butter. Stir just until the butter melts, no more.
3. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then sprinkle the mixture with the soda; it will foam up, and mix very well. Add the flour and pour in the eggs. The dough will turn grayish-brown. Add the instant coffee and mix. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let it cool completely.
For the Royal Icing:
1. Wipe the mixer bowl thoroughly to ensure there is absolutely no moisture, and place the egg whites inside. Be careful that there is no trace of yolk. Beat well until frothy and add the lemon juice and the icing sugar little by little, beating at high speed until you have a fluffy and stiff mixture.
2. Spread the royal icing over the Christmas Cake and on the sides, making wavy patterns with a spatula.
3. Decorate with rosemary and raspberries. If you wish, you can dip the rosemary and raspberries, or even cranberries, into syrup (syrup from spoon sweets works perfectly fine) and sprinkle them with sugar.
