I know I know, it’s Halloween and a little early to bring out the tinsel, but a good Christmas cake should be made in advance to enable lots of feeding e.g. plying it with alcohol in the lead up to Christmas. Admittedly there’s a reason why this cake is only made once a year; the amount of dried fruit needed make it fairly pricey. However, it beats a shop bought purchase by miles and I guarantee Father Christmas won’t leave a half bitten piece of cake this year…..
This recipe is by James Martin:
- 1kg mixed dried fruits (I used a mixture of raisins, cranberries and figs)
- zest and juice 1 orange
- zest and juice 1 lemon
- 150ml brandy or sherry
- 250g pack butter, softened
- 200g light soft brown sugar
- 175g plain flour
- 100g ground almonds
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 100g flaked almonds
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Put the dried fruit, zests and juice, alcohol, butter an
d sugar in a large pan and slowly bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Tip the fruit mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 30 mins. - Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper or more parchment paper around the outside – tie with string to secure.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the fruit mixture and stir well. Pour into your prepared tin, level the top and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs.
- Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp of your chosen alcohol. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
- Take off the parchment and wrap well in cling film. Over the next couple of weeks feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp alcohol every fortnight, until you ice it.
- Stay tuned on how to marzipan and ice your cake nearer Christmas time.
Directions for use: Try to feed the cake and not
yourself…….
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