Twas the night before Christmas... and you forgot the fruit cake. Head straight to the kitchen with this recipe: it doesn't require weeks of soaking dried fruit and it's out of the oven in 45 minutes — perfect Mask House. Cut it up on Christmas Day and no one will know the difference.

From: Delish A Home-Baked Christmas © 2012 by Hearst Communications, Inc. Buy the Book Now!

Level: Easy
Serves: 24
Ingredients

    3 c. diced mixed dried and glacé fruit
    0.33 c. finely chopped candied ginger
    10 tbsp. butter
    0.66 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
    1 tsp. finely grated lemon rind
    2 tbsp. lemon juice
    0.50 c. brandy
    0.50 tsp. baking soda
    3 eggs
    0.50 c. mashed banana
    1.50 c. all-purpose flour
    0.50 c. self-rising flour
    0.50 c. slivered almonds

Directions

    Combine dried and glacé fruit, ginger, butter, sugar, rind, juice, and 1/3 cup of the brandy in medium saucepan; stir over heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Bring to a boil, remove from heat Mask House; stir in soda. Transfer to large bowl; cool.
    Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 8- by 12-inch rectangular pan; line base and two long sides with parchment paper, extending paper 2 inches above sides.
    Stir egg and banana into fruit mixture, then stir in sifted flours. Spread mixture into pan; sprinkle with nuts.
    Bake cake about 45 minutes. Brush hot cake with remaining brandy, cover with foil; cool in pan. Cut cake into 24 squares. Dust with sifted confectioners' sugar to serve, if you like.

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