Classic Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake Recipe

Ideally, you should start thinking about making your Christmas Cake 4 -5 weeks before Christmas. But you can make it anytime from a few months before to a few days.

Before you start line the tin bottom and sides with double-thick baking paper and wrap a layer of brown paper around the outside of the tin. This helps protect it while in the oven for a long time.

Ingredients

• 12 oz currants
• 8oz sultanas
• 8 oz raisins
• 2 oz glace cherries, rinsed, dried and chopped
• 2 oz candied peel, chopped finely
• 2 oz almonds, ground
• 1 tablespoon treacle
• 1 orange, grated zest
• 1 lemon, grated zest
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 8 oz plain flour
• 8 oz butter
• 8oz light (or dark) brown sugar
• A pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon mixed spice
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 large eggs or 5 medium
• 3 tablespoons milk

Method

1. Begin the day before by combining the sultanas, raisins, currants, mixed peel and cherries in a bowl and add the Brandy and treacle and leave overnight for the fruit to plump up.
2. Preheat oven to 140C
3. In a food mixer using the paddle attachment beat the butter ( which must be soft / room temperature ) with the sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes even 10 minutes.
4. Then start adding the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg has been incorporated before adding the next.
5. Add the ground almonds before adding the last egg.
6. Sift the flour into the egg mixture and fold in using a large metal spoon.
7. You may need to transfer the mixture to a larger bowl before adding the fruit.
8. Then add the dried fruit and spices and fold in also.
9. If the mixture seems a bit stiff, fold in the milk one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is lighter.
10. Spoon into the tin, level the surface and make a dip in the centre.
11. Then run your hand under some cold water and with your fingers flat gently press the top.
12. Cook for 4 – 4 ½ hours or until nicely golden and a skewer comes out clean.
13. It can take up to 5 hours.
14. Pour over more Brandy when warm if desired.
15. Cool on a rack, remove from the tin while still warm and then when completely cold wrap well in greaseproof paper and tin foil until ready to use.

Notes

You can use an 8″ round tin for a deeper cake.

You can get ahead a few days in advance with the weighing out of the fruit and lining the tin.

I like to use Brandy or Irish Whiskey to soak the fruit. This plumps up the dried fruit and gives you a lovely rich Christmas Cake.