Mini Chocolate Christmas Cakes



Ingredients:

1/2
cup Bendy Bread / 1/2 cup Pikelet Mix OR 1 cup Bendy Bread

(for some reason the blend
of two formalas was better- but using either worked.)



1/3
cup apple juice or brandy

375g Mixed Fruit

1/4 cup cup dried apricots,
chopped (I used a combination of figs and apricots)

60g butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 egg, room temp

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice

1/2 cup dark choc bits or
carob(gluten free brands available)



Method:

Heat apple juice or brandy
in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 minute. Add dried fruit. Cover and set
aside for a couple of hours for best result. Stir occasionally.



Preheat oven to 150oC . Lightly
grease of spray a 12 hole mini muffin tin.



Beat together butter,vanilla
and brown sugar until creamy.( use a sugar alternative if you need).

If
you use Xylitol add some syrup. Add egg. Stir in fruit mixture. Blend in
flour and spice over the mixture. Stir until combined. Stir in choc bits.



Spoon mixture into muffin holes
to completly fill. I pressed the mixture in and smoothed the surface. I had
enough mixture left to make 4 normal muffin size cakes.



Bake for about
20 minutes until well browned. Cool for 10 mins before running a knife around
the edges to loosen cakes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.



Decorating
suggestions:



Option 1:
Purchase a ready made Icing mix from the supermarket. Brands vary so check out
the ingredients (which I am sure you are used to). Roll between two sheets of
baking paper until approx 5mm thick. Using a star-shaped biscuit cutter, cut
shapes out of icing. Place the shapes over the upturned cakes.



Option 2: Make
your own.



Brandy
Butter:



1 cup of brown
sugar

125g
butter or alternative

2
tbspns brandy

1
tspn vanilla extract

Method:
Beat ingredients together for 10mins, scraping down sides. Spread 5mm-1cm
thick on a baking paper-lined tray and chill until firm. Cut small designs of
choice, place on upturned cakes and keep chilled. Serve or Gift Wrap! Merry
Xmas









Idea Sourced
from Taste.com