Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. # Wash the dried fruit in a sieve, under the cold tap, two days before making the cake
  2. # Drain and turn on to clean tea towel, pat dry then spread on kitchen paper to dry
  3. # On baking day, grease a 9 inch round cake tin, line with double greaseproof paper and re-grease
  4. # Tie a band of brown paper round the outside of the tin, to come 3 inches above the top
  5. # Put the prepared fruit, peel and cherries in a bowl and mix well
  6. # Grate the lemon rind
  7. # Sift together the flour, spices and salt then add, together with the grated lemon rind, to the bowl of mixed fruit
  8. # Cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale, soft and fluffy
  9. # Break the eggs into a basin and whisk lightly with a fork
  10. # Add the whisked egg, 2 tablespoons at a time, to the creamed butter mixture, beating until well mixed each time before adding more egg
  11. # With a tablespoon, fold in the flour and fruit mixture; add a little milk if necessary to make the mixture soft enough to drop from the spoon when it's held above the bowl and shaken
  12. # Turn the mixture into the prepared baking tin, spread it evenly around the tin and make a dip in the center
  13. # Bake at the bottom of the oven at 300F, Gas Mark 2, 160C for about four and a half hours until the cake is golden brown and firm to the touch
  14. # To prevent the cake over-browning, cover with two or three pieces of brown paper after the first two and a half hour's baking
  15. # Test with a fine skewer, insert the skewer in the cake and when it is drawn out it should look quite clean
  16. # Allow the cake to cool in the tin
  17. # Before storing the cake, prick with a fine skewer and slowly pour the brandy over it
  18. # When storing the cake, wrap it in several layers of greaseproof paper, then wrap in foil or store in an airtight tin
  19. # Cakes made several weeks before Christmas will become darker in colour and richer in flavour
  20. # Decorate the cake with almond paste and royal icing (see Hookery Cookery Christmas Recipes

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