Ingredients
Serves 242 cups of fruit mince
1 cup of black sherry (Pedro Ximines)
2 cups milk
6 cups of plain flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
400 grams of butter
4 cups of brown sugar
8 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Royal Icing
3 cups of pure icing sugar sifted (approx)
2 egg whites lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Method
Pre heat the oven to 170°C.
Pour sherry over fruit mince and leave to stand for as long as possible, at least 30 mins or overnight if time is permitting.
Sift together flour backing powder and spices. In a large bowl beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat for approx five minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time then add the vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, add half the fruit mixture and add remaining flour and fruit mix alternately until just combined, do not over mix.
Spoon into cup cake cases, or well greased dariole moulds, until about three quarters full.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from muffin trays and cool on a wire rack, until completely cold for icing. Decorate as desired.
Royal Icing
In a large bowl lightly beat egg whites, add icing sugar a heaped tablespoon at a time beating well after each addition.
When icing reaches required consistency add lemon juice and beat well again. If you want to pipe this, use more icing sugar. If it's to simply pour over then go lighter with the icing sugar.