Mini Christmas Cakes with Brandy Icing

Put the dried fruit into a bowl, add the dark rum and sherry and stir everything together.  Cover and ideally leave to soak for up to a week.

Grease and line the base and sides of 10 x 7.5cm 3inch cooking rings. Preheat the oven the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4).

Cream the butter and molasses together in a bowl with a hand held mixer until soft and fluffy.

Gradually add the eggs a little at a time, adding 2 tablespoons of the flour to stop the mixture curdling.

Sift in the remaining flour and mixed spice, then fold in the stem ginger.

Put half of the macerated fruit into a processor and whizz until it is smooth.

Add to the flour with the rest of the fruit and boozy liquid. Fold everything together. Spoon into prepared tins, smoothing over the surface, leaving a slight dip in the surface.

Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool in the tins. Remove rings and wrap in foil and put into an airtight container until needed.

For brandy frosting, mix together the butter, icing sugar and cream cheese in a processor with 1 tablespoon of brandy until blended.

Use a palette knife to spread the icing over the top of the cakes, smoothing and peaking. Wrap a ribbon around the sides if liked, to decorate.