Just in case

I love giving DIY gifts for Christmas and try to always have something on hand for those 'just in case moments'.

You know the ones - the next door neighbour, workmates and distant aunts.

Enter the world's easiest Christmas cakes.

And parochially South Australian with the secret ingredient . . . Farmers Union Iced Coffee!

Simply take 1kg mixed dried fruit 

Add 500ml of iced coffee and leave to soak overnight in the fridge

The next day, or later that night if you soak the fruit during the day, add 2 cups of self raising flour and stir to combine.

The recipe is for one large cake, but I decided to share the love wide and filled little cupcake wrappers with tablespoons of cake mix. Would've been great with some extra glace cherries or nuts thrown in for good measure.

Little cakes took about 25-30 mins to cook at 180 - you know they're done when the skewer comes out clean.

And voila!

Little bites of merriment! I wrapped them up in individual cellophane bags with red ribbon. Very pretty.

Here's Jane Doyle's pic of her cake - definitely more impressive but she probably has the luxury of a fan forced oven. Not me. No. My oven hates me.

See her recipe here.