Mini festive fruit cakes

Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan. Grease the loaf tins with butter and dust with a little plain flour.

In a bowl, mix together the brandy-soaked mixed fruit (500 g), orange zest and juice (1/2) and flaked almonds (50 g).

Cream the butter (175 g) and sugar (100 g) for 2 minutes until pale and light. Mix in the golden syrup (50 ml) and treacle (50 ml). Gradually add the beaten eggs (3), mixing between each addition.

Sift the flour (175 g), ground almonds (50 g), baking powder (1/2 tsp), mixed spice (2 tsp) and a pinch of salt into the bowl with the butter and sugar. Combine using a rubber spatula. Stir in the dried fruit and milk (2 tbsp). Divide the mix between the loaf tins, spread level and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate, heat the jam (2 tbsp) in a small pan and brush over the top of each cake. Dust a work surface with icing sugar (200 g) and roll out the marzipan (250 g) to a thickness of 2-3mm. Cut into 10-12 neat rectangles the same size as the tops of the cakes. Top the cakes with the marzipan rectangles.

Roll the fondant icing (250 g) out to a thickness of 2mm. Cut into neat rectangles the same size as the marzipan. Lightly brush the marzipan with hot water and place the fondant icing on top, smoothing it neatly to the edges.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg white (1/2) until foamy. Add the icing sugar and continue whisking until smooth– the icing should hold a firm ribbon trail. Mix in a drop of the pink food colouring (as needed). Pipe ribbons and a bow onto the top of each cake, and decorate with edible silver or silver balls.