Marys Winter Fruit Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Mix fruit cocktail, flour, sugar, eggs, salt and baking soda. Pour into a greased 9x13" pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.
• While the cake is cooking make the icing. Boil for 2 minutes the sugar, margarine and milk. Remove from heat and add the coconut and vanilla.
• Frost the cake while it is hot.

Steps:

• Lightly beat the egg white in a shallow bowl and spread out the caster sugar on a baking sheet or tray. Dip the grapes and the holly or bay leaves into the egg white, or use a paintbrush. Shake off the excess, then coat in the sugar. Set aside to dry for at least 10 mins, ideally about 30 mins.
• When you're ready to decorate, make the frosting. Put a large bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Put the egg whites and icing sugar into the bowl and whisk for 5-7 mins until you have a thick, very glossy frosting. Use a spatula to clean around the edges of the bowl every so often as you whisk. Scoop the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread it around with a flat-edged knife, swirling as you go to create a snowy effect (see Knowhow, below).
• Halve the clementines, figs and kumquats, then arrange on top of the frosted cake with the physalis, frosted grapes and leaves. Fix a ribbon around the base and leave the cake somewhere cool - but not the fridge - until your guests arrive.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; blend in dry pudding mix and extract.
• Reserve 2 each red and green cherries for garnish. Remove stems, if necessary, from remaining cherries; rinse, then pat dry. Cut cherries into quarters. Stir into cake batter along with the nut mix. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 33 to 36 min. or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min. Loosen cake from sides of pan with knife. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove pan. Cool cake completely.
• Beat cream cheese and milk in medium bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually beat in sugar. Drizzle over cake. Garnish with reserved cherries.