Christmas Cake

270g sultanas, roughly chopped

270g currants

270g seeded raisins, chopped

120g Australian dried apricots, chopped

60g prunes, stoned and chopped

140ml brandy

270g softened unsalted butter

60 g mixed peel

40g slivered almonds

225g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

250g dark brown sugar

5 large eggs, beaten

1 tbsp golden syrup

Put dried fruit into a large glass or ceramic bowl and add 100 ml of the brandy. Soak overnight.

Next day, preheat oven to 150°C (if you have a fan-forced oven, preheat it to 140°C).

Grease a 22 cm x 7 cm deep round cake tin well with 20 g of the butter and line with a double thickness of baking paper or brown paper.

Put mixed peel and slivered almonds into a large bowl and coat with a little of the flour to prevent clumping.

Sift remaining flour with baking powder and spices.

Cream brown sugar and remaining butter in an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and flour mixture alternately, then add soaked fruit, treacle, and almond mixture. Mix well.

Turn mixture into prepared tin and scoop centre into a slight hollow to allow for rising.

Bake for 3 hours. Insert a fine skewer and, if it does not come out clean, reduce oven to 110°C and check again after 15 minutes.

When cooked, remove from oven and drizzle remaining brandy over cake. Allow to cool completely in tin before turning out. Wrap cake in several layers of greaseproof paper and then in foil and store in an airtight cake tin until Christmas Day.

Smaller cakes: If you wish to make 3 smaller cakes, use 3 x 13 cm x 6.5 cm deep round tins. For 2 log cakes, use 2 x 25 cm x 10 cm x 6.5 cm rectangular tins. Cook for 2 hours.

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