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Christmas Cake
It looks really difficult but it is actually amazingly easy - it's just the ingredients list that looks daunting. Also makes an unforgettable wedding or christening cake. Allow 24hours for the fruit to soak, and 5 days for the cake to be ready to be iced.
Ingredients
Serves: 24
- 250g currants
- 250g chopped raisins
- 250g sultanas
- 150g halved glace cherries
- 200g cups chopped mixed peel
- 60g chopped glace pineapple
- 50g chopped glace ginger
- 50g chopped dried apricots
- Finely grated rind of a large lemon
- 3/4 cup (90g) chopped blanched almonds
- 150ml brandy or dark rum
- 3 1/2 cups (440g) plain flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 375g butter
- 2 1/2 cups (390g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon treacle
- 6 eggs
- extra 5 tablespoons brandy or rum
Directions
Preparation:1hour ›
Cook:3hours45min ›
Ready in:4hours45min
- Put the first 10 ingredients into the largest receptacle you own. (I use my jam pan) and douse with brandy or rum. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to stand for at least 24 hours, turning every few hours for the fruit to plump up.
- Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.
- To prepare the cake tin; grease and double-line the inside of the tin with baking paper. Allow the paper to come about 1.5 cm above the top of the tin which should be about 9cm deep.
- Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl
- Cream the butter, sugar and treacle until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time adding a little flour with each. Finally, lightly fold in the dry ingredients.
- Tip the creamed mixture into the fruit and mix well.
- Put the mixture into the lined tin. Even the top and make a slight indentation in the centre with the back of a spoon. Put into the middle of the oven and bake for 3hrs 45 mins.
- When cooked, remove the cake from the oven and place on a rack and allow to go cold in the pan (overnight). Remove from pan and take off the side baking paper, leaving the bottom intact.
- Pierce cake all over with a skewer and carefully spoon over 5 tablespoons brandy or dark rum.
- Wrap carefully in a double layer of baking paper then in two layers of foil. The cake must be completely enclosed by both.
- Two weeks before required, cover with almond paste. Allow to dry for 5 days.
- Ice with fondant or royal icing as desired.
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Reviews and Ratings
Global Ratings:
(29)
Reviews in English (36)
Help Please. What size of cake tin do I need for this cake? - 27 Nov 2012
I don't want to say that the recipe was bad, but I'm so frustrated by what has just been a very expensive go at making fruitcake again! I took it out of the oven 20 minutes before the recipe called for, but it looks burnt! My oven is accurate, I bake every week, but somehow when it comes to fruitcakes, I always either under- or over bake them! Any advice? - 16 Sep 2012 (Review from Allrecipes UK & Ireland)
Hi graywriter1, the four months is how long the author recommends you age the cake before you marzipan and ice it. We'll change the 'keep' to 'age' to make this more clear! Also, if you don't have four months, 6 to 8 weeks should be just fine! - 27 Oct 2011 (Review from Allrecipes UK & Ireland)