Rich Chocolate Christmas Cakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup pitted prunes
1 cup pitted dried dates
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup dried figs
1/2 cup mixed citrus peel
1 1/2 cups Irish whiskey
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3 None eggs
1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp mixed spice, such as pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
5 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup muscatels on the vine, for garnishing (optional)
None None Additional unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Preparation

Chop all fruit finely. Combine the fruit and 3/4 cup of the whiskey in a large bowl. Cover and let stand overnight.
Preheat the oven to 250\u00b0F. Line eight 3-inch round cake pans with double thickness of parchment paper, extending the paper 2 inches above the sides of the pans.
Stir the remaining 3/4 cup whiskey and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a small saucepan on low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Cool the syrup for 20 mins.
Meanwhile, beat the butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir the butter mixture into the fruit mixture. Stir in the ground hazelnuts, sifted dry ingredients, chocolate and 1/2 cup of the cooled syrup. Spread the mixture into the prepared pans.
Bake the cakes for about 1 3/4 hours.
Bring the remaining syrup and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; boil for 3 mins or until it thickened slightly. Brush the hot cakes with half of the hot syrup. Cover the cakes with foil; cool in the pans.
Place the muscatels in the remaining syrup. Let stand in the syrup until cool. Drain.
Dust the cakes with additional sifted cocoa. Garnish the top with the muscatels.