Countdown to Christmas

The Cake

This weekend marks the start of my Christmas baking, it's time to make the Christmas cake.

You may think it's a bit early but I start this time every year and feed my cake with brandy every week (just a little). The finished cake is amazing and lasts for ages (if only brandy had that effect on me).

I have used this recipe for the past 15 years and have never been disappointed.

Leave the icing of the cake until a few days before Christmas. Alternatively leave it plain. I have friends from Yorkshire who eat it with cheese and its actually very nice.

You will need to start the cake the night before you bake it, to marinate the fruit in the Brandy.

I shall post a picture of my finished cake nearer Christmas.

Ingredients

450 currants

1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and grated

175g sultanas

175g raisins

4 eggs

225g Muscavado sugar

50g glace cherries, chopped

225g unsalted butter

1/2 tsp mixed spice

3 tbsp brandy

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

225g plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

50g Almonds, chopped

50g Brazil nuts, chopped

1 dessertspoon treacle

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 lemon

20cm round cake tin

or

18cm square tin

lined with parchment paper

Place the dried fruit and grated apple in a large mixing bowl, add the brandy and mix thoroughly. Cover and leave overnight.

The following day

Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/gas1

Sift the flour, salt and spiced into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs and gradually add them to the mixture a little at a time.

Gently fold in the flour and spices.

Fold in the dried fruit, chopped nuts and treacle (use a spoon which has been standing in hot water to measure the treacle) then fold in the orange and lemon zests.

Transfer the mixture to the cake tin, cover with parchment paper and cut a cross in the middle, and bake, on the bottom shelf for 4 3/4 - 5 hrs. Check after 4hrs.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Wrap in two layers of greaseproof paper and 1 layer of foil and place in an airtight tin, in a cool place. Feed regularly with Brandy.