I created this slice because I had wanted to try and make a fruit cake this year, but every time I thought about it just seemed like sooooo much effort.
So I made a slice instead and it was considerably quicker and easier to make, and still has some of the Christmas fruit cake elements. I used my favourite dried fruit from Singing Magpie Produce, and a decent amount of vanilla extract as the ‘alcohol’ element. You could add a little more dried fruit and nuts to this recipe if you wanted it a bit more fruit heavy (say 300g fruit, and 2 tbsp each of the nuts). You could also add some festive spices to the mix as well if you felt like it.
You don’t have to decorate the slice with any festive sprinkles, I just had some so I thought I would use them. Otherwise it’s a nice, slightly crumbly slice, perfect with a cup of tea and none of the end of year fuss I imagine making a traditional fruit cake comes with. This slice is also a great one to make a day or so in advance as the flavour gets even better after the day of baking.
Easy Christmas Fruit Slice
Ingredients:
120g unsalted butter
250g brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
340g self raising flour
240g mixed dried fruit, chopped if in large pieces
1 tbsp slivered almonds
1 tbsp slivered pistachios
Icing:
50g icing mixture/sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
Festive sprinkles, optional
Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line a 30 x 20 cm slice/lamington tin.
In a small saucepan add the butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Heat over low/medium heat and stir until the butter and sugar have melted together.
Tip the butter mixture into a large bowl, and allow to cool down if it’s quite hot. Mix in the egg and make sure it is well combined. Then add the flour and mix until almost combined. Then the dried fruit and nuts and mix until everything is combined and there are no lumps of flour.
Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and using a spatula evenly spread the mixture out. Bake for 35 minutes or until the slice is a nice golden colour and the centre of the slice doesn’t wobble.
Allow the slice to cool in it’s tin for a few minutes, then remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled make the icing by mixing the icing mixture/sugar together with the lemon juice, and using a spoon drizzle evenly over the slice. Before the icing dries, decorate with some festive sprinkles, sticking them where the icing is (optional).
Once the icing has had a little time to set, cut the slice in to about 15 pieces.
Serves 15, store in an airtight container, will keep for about 5 days.
