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Tummies might be bursting from the buffet, but Sarah Hobbs makes five classic Christmas desserts worth saving room for.



Mini Christmas cakes

Makes 6 small darioles or 1 x 20cm round cake



3 cups (510g) sultanas

11/2 cups (265g) chopped raisins

1 cup (155g) currants

1 cup (150g) chopped dried pitted dates

1/2 cup (95g) prunes, finely chopped

100g red glacé cherries, finely chopped

1/2 cup (125g) finely chopped glacé figs

1/4 cup (50g) mixed peel

3/4 cup (185ml) whiskey

1 tbs finely grated orange rind

250g butter, at room temperature

1 cup (200g) brown sugar

4 eggs

2 cups (300g) plain flour

2 tsp mixed spice

2 x 200g pkts prepared almond paste

1/2 cup (125g) apricot jam

1kg bought white fondant icing

Ribbon, to decorate

Silver leaf, to decorate



Royal icing

1 eggwhite

11/2 cups (230g) pure icing sugar, plus extra to dust




1 Combine the sultanas, raisins, currants, dates, prunes, cherries, figs, mixed peel, whiskey and orange rind in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside, stirring occasionally, for 2 days to macerate.

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2 Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease and line the base and sides of six (¾ cup/185ml capacity) metal dariole moulds with baking paper. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition, until just combined. Add to the fruit mixture with the flour and mixed spice and use a wooden spoon to stir until well combined.



3 Spoon fruit mixture evenly among the prepared moulds. Tap the bases of the moulds on a bench to settle mixture to the base. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Turn cake over to sit on foil. Set aside overnight to cool completely.



4 To make the royal icing, combine the eggwhite and icing sugar in a small bowl to form a smooth paste. Cut six 10cm-diameter discs from a silver-covered cardboard cake board. Spread a small dot of icing on each cardboard disc. Top with a small piece of baking paper. Use a small, serrated knife to trim the base of each cake. Place the cake, cut-side down, onto each lined board. Fill any holes in cake with pieces of almond paste.

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