Celebration Christmas Cakes

Directions

1. 1
   Chop all fruit the same size as the raisins. Combine fruit and 1/2 cup of the liqueur in large bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand overnight. (Macerate the fruit and liqueur for up to a month if time permits. Stir the fruit mixture each week.)
2. 2
   Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line two deep 6-inch square cake pans with three layers of parchment paper, extending paper 2 inches above sides of pans.
3. 3
   Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add butter mixture to fruit mixture; mix well. Stir in sifted flours and spice. Divide batter among prepared pans.
4. 4
   Bake cakes about 2 hours. Brush hot cakes with remaining 2 tbsp liqueur. Cover hot cakes in pan tightly with foil; turn upside down, on wire rack. Cool cakes overnight.
5. 5
   Trim tops of cakes, if necessary, to make flat. Mix 2 tbsp of the fondant with enough cold boiled water to make a sticky paste. Spread half of this mixture into the center of a sheet of parchment paper about 2 inches larger than the cake. Position cake, flat-side down, on paper. Repeat with second cake.
6. 6
   Using a metal spatula and small pieces of fonfant, patch any holes in the cakes
7. 7
   Preparing one cake at a time, brush egg white evenly over cake. Knead half the remaining fondant on surface dusted with the sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Lift fondant onto cake with rolling pin, smoothing fondant over cake with hands dusted with powdered sugar. Cut excess fondant away from bottom of cake
8. 8
   Mix fondant scraps with cold boiled water to make a sticky paste. Spread half the paste in the center of a cake board; center cake on board. Cut away excess parchment paper around bottom of cake.
9. 9
   Gently push a 2 1/4-inch bell-shaped cutter into fondant in center of cake. Using a small sharp knife carefully remove the fondant inside the bell shape. Carefully fill bell shape with dragees.
10. 10
    Decorate the cake bottom with a ribbon, securing ends with craft glue. Let stand overnight until firm
11. 11
    Repeat with the second cake.