24th October 2007 / Day 297
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Author: Anne Status: published Published: May 08,2008 license cc-by-nc-sa tags: Cake, Christmas, Project365-297, Fruit cake, HPAD241007, Christmas cake,
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Share on TwitterChristmas cake about to go in the oven... Who would like to lick the spoon? I'm a bit late this year really, with Christmas being two months tomorrow, eep!
The Ultimate Christmas Cake:
225g plain flour
Hint of salt
1 x 5ml spoon ground mixed spice
200g butter or very good quality soft margarine
200g dark brown sugar
2 x 15ml spoons black treacle (be liberal)
teaspoon vanilla essence
4 standard eggs lightly beaten
800g mixed dried fruit (be heavy handed and soak in brandy for a few days)
100g chopped mixed peel (optional)
150 g glace cherries halved
100 g ground almonds
3 x 15ml spoons brandy lacing (be generous)
Cooking time 3-4 hours
Oven 150C, 300F, Gas Mark 2
Grease 20cm 8" round or an 18cm 7" square cake tine and line the base and sides with double layer of greaseproof paper. A band of corrugated cardboard should also tied around the outside of the tin.
Sieve together the floor, salt and mixed spice. Cream the butter, sugar, treacle and vanilla essence together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, adding a tablespoon of the floor with the last amount. Fold in the remaining flour, then all the fruit and almonds. Turn into the prepared cake tin and make a slight hollow in the centre..
Bake in a cool oven for 3-4 hours, testing after 3 hours by inserting a skewer into the centre; when it comes out clean the cake is cooked. Remove from oven and leave in tin until cold. Make a few holes in the top of the cake with a skewer and pour brandy over the cake while it is still warm. Never take the greaseproof wrappings off until ready to marzipan the cake.
Wrap cake in greaseproof paper followed by foil and store. Never put foil directly onto the cake because it cannot breathe. Lace with brandy every one to two weeks.
Enjoy!
