In which I bake the cake...
So in order to bring you yet another Christmas recipe I have broken with tradition and made my Christmas cake before stir-up Sunday. Here it is!
Ingredients
- 450 g (1 lb) currants
- 175 g (6 oz) sultanas
- 175 g (6 oz) raisins
- 50 g (2 oz) glacé cherries, chopped
- 50 g (2 oz) mixed peel
- an amount of brandy*
- 225 g (8 oz) plain flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg†
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice†
- 225 g (8 oz) unsalted butter
- 225 g (8 oz) soft brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 dessertspoon black treacle
- rind of 1 lemon, grated
- rind of 1 orange, grated
- optional: 50 g (2 oz) almonds, chopped
*the recipe I followed said 3 tablespoons but more brandy is better
†Again I feel more spice is better
Recipe
- Mix all the fruit in a bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar in an other mixing bowl.
- Beat the eggs.
- Add them slowly to the creamed butter and sugar mixing thoroughly.
- Fold in the flour and spices.
- Mix in the fruit, peel, brandy, treacle (and nuts).
- Put the mixture into the cake tin.
- Tie brown paper (or tinfoil if you don't have any) around the tin and on top of the cake leaving a 2 cm hole in the middle of the top.
- Bake the cake for 4¼-4¾ (don't open the oven for the first 4 hours).
- Cool the cake before putting it in an airtight tin until icing.
- Occasionally feed the cake with extra brandy up until icing.
Icing soon!
Tom Out!
P.S. Thanks to Delia for the base recipe.