Mango and macadamia fruitcake

Step 1

Combine dried fruit, nuts, zest and rum in a bowl. Cover, refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 140°C fan-forced (160°C conventional). Grease and line a deep, 20cm round cake tin, or an 8-hole 3/4-cup capacity Texas muffin pan with paper liners.

Step 3

Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in coconut.

Step 4

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter, sugars and molasses until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beat until fluffy and combined.

Step 5

Fold in flour mixture, then fold in dried fruit mixture.

Step 6

Spoon batter into prepared tin(s). For 20cm cake, bake for 2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. For muffins, bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Brush warm cake or muffins with reserved rum. Cool completely before removing from tin.

Step 7

Meanwhile, for pineapple flowers, reduce oven to 70°C fan-forced (90°C conventional). Remove pineapple ‘eyes’ with spoon or melon baller, then slice pineapple finely with a sharp knife or mandolin. Put slices on a tray lined with paper towel to absorb moisture.

Step 8

Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Arrange pineapple on trays, bake for 2 hours, flipping occasionally until dry to touch and starting to colour at edges. Cool on tray until firm.

Step 9

For Toffee macadamias, gently insert wooden skewers in macadamia tops (don’t pierce all the way through). In a medium saucepan, heat sugar and water on low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high, cook, not stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until mixture turns dark caramel. Remove from heat and immediately put in bowl of iced water to stop cooking. Cool for 1-2 minutes until caramel thickens. Put a baking paper-lined tray in a clean sink and put a heavy wooden chopping board on side of sink. Using one skewer at a time, dip a macadamia into caramel, then put skewer under board, allowing macadamia to hang over sink and drip onto tray to set. Repeat with all the macadamias, reheating the caramel on stove on low if needed.

Step 10

For Molasses buttercream, beat butter and molasses together until smooth, then gradually beat in icing sugar until pale and fluffy.

Step 11

Decorate cooled cake(s)