Christmas Cake
Ingredients
- 800 gr. (1 lb. 14 oz.) mixed fruit
- 50 gr. (2 oz.) glacé cherries, rinsed,
- dried and chopped as you like them
- 3 tbsp. brandy
- 225 gr. (8 oz.) self raising flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp. ground mixed spice
- 225 gr. (8 oz.) unsalted butter
- 225 gr. (8 oz.) soft brown sugar
- 4 eggs, large
- 50 gr. (2 oz.) chopped almonds
- 1 tbsp. black treacle
- Grated zest 1 lemon
- Grated zest 1 orange
- Brandy/sherry for “feeding”
- the baked cake
- Preheat oven to 140°C.
- Grease and line a 20 cm. (8") square or round loose-bottomed tin with parchment paper. Also works well in an 8½ " (22 cm.) round loose-bottomed tin.
- Have ready a double piece of brown paper for wrapping around the tin, which will come above the rim by about
- 5 cm. (2") and a square of double greaseproof paper with a small hole in the middle.
Method
Begin the cake the night before you want to bake it.
Weigh out the mixed fruit and glacé cherries and place in a mixing bowl. Mix in the brandy. Cover and leave the fruit aside to absorb the brandy overnight.
Next day, it is easier to begin by measuring out most of the rest of the ingredients. The treacle will be easier to measure if you pour boiling water into a pyrex jug and dip your spoon into it first.
Now begin the cake by sifting the flour, salt and spices into a mixing bowl, lifting the sieve up high to get plenty of air into the flour.
Next, in a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until it's light, pale and fluffy. This is where you are going to mix all the cake ingredients.
Beat the eggs together in a pyrex jug and add them to the creamed mixture a tablespoon at a time; keep the whisk running until all the egg is incorporated. If it shows signs of curdling, don't worry, just add a tbsp. of the flour.
When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices, gently, being careful not to beat. Now fold in the mixed fruit, cherries, chopped nuts and treacle and finally the grated lemon and orange zests.
Transfer the cake mixture into the prepared tin, spreading it out evenly with the back of a spoon. After spooning in the mixture, sellotape a double piece of brown paper around the tin coming above the rim by about 5 cm. (2"). Place in the preheated oven.
Bake for about 1 hr. and then gently cover the top of the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with a small hole in the centre. Bake the cake for approx. 2hrs. 15 mins, checking after 1hr. 45 mins. When a cake tester or thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean it is ready to take out of the oven.
Leave the cake for 30 minutes in the tin and then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
When it's cold prick holes in the top of the cake with the thin skewer or cake tester and ‘feed’ it with 2 tbsp. brandy/sherry, a teaspoon at a time, to soak in through the holes. Wrap in double greaseproof paper, and finally in double foil and store in an airtight polythene box or tin.
'Feed' a further 2 tbsp. brandy/sherry once a week over the next two or three weeks.
Leave to mature.
Icing the cake:
For a thinner layer I use:
500 gr. (1 lb. 2 oz.) pack marzipan
500 gr. (1 lb. 2 oz.) pack ready fondant icing
3-4 tbsp. sieved apricot jam
Heat the apricot jam in the microwave or in a pan. Brush over the top and sides of the cake.
Roll out the marzipan (with a little icing sugar to prevent if from sticking) and cover the cake pressing it down firmly with the help of the rolling pin. Leave for about 24 hrs. to dry.
Roll out the ready fondant icing. Dampen the top and sides of the cake with a little boiled water and cover, again using the rolling pin to firm the icing to the cake. Cover with double greaseproof paper and foil and store in a polythene box or tin until you are ready to decorate it.
Enjoy at Christmas and think of Christmas’ past! Merry Christmas….
