Christmas Cake

Ingredients

• Fruit & Soaking Mix
  • 425 g currants; 250 g sultanas; 250 g raisins
  • 300 g glacé cherries, quartered; 150 g dried apricots, chopped
  • 75 g mixed candied peel; 4 tbsp brandy
• Cake Batter
  • 300 g plain flour; 1 tsp mixed spice; ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 300 g softened butter; 300 g muscovado sugar; 5 eggs
  • 1 tbsp black treacle; zest of lemon & orange
  • 60 g chopped almonds

Method

1. Soak fruit and peel in brandy overnight.
2. Cream butter, sugar, eggs, treacle, zests; stir in flour, spices, nuts, and soaked fruit.
3. Bake in a lined deep tin at 140 °C (fan 120 °C) for 4–5 hrs until firm and skewer-clean.
4. Age the cake: pierce top and pour over extra brandy; wrap and store, feeding occasionally, for up to 3 months.
5. Decorate as desired: brush with apricot jam and add marzipan, royal icing, nuts, ribbons.