Christmas Cake
CategoryCakes
Cook Time3 hours
What you need:
- 225g/8oz Odlums Cream Plain Flour (sieved)
- 175g/6oz Butter or Margarine
- 225g/8oz Shamrock Dark Muscovado Sugar
- 350g packet Shamrock Sultanas
- 350g packet Shamrock Fruit Mix
- 100g tub Shamrock Cherries
- 100g packet Shamrock Chopped Almonds
- 100g packet Shamrock Ground Almonds
- 3 large Eggs
- Rind and Juice of 1 Orange
- 1 teaspoon Goodall’s Mixed Spice
- 2 baby bottles of Brandy
How to:
- Put butter/margarine, sugar, fruit, rind, juice and one baby bottle of the brandy into a large saucepan.
- Slowly bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, until the butter/margarine has melted.
- Turn off heat and leave to cool for approx 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile pre-heat oven to 140°C/275°F/Gas 1 and line an 8″/20cm round deep cake tin with greaseproof paper.
- Stir the eggs, nuts and ground almonds into the fruit mixture and mix well.
- Finally, stir in the sieved flour and mixed spice.
- Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth it out evenly – the back of a metal spoon dipped in water is handy for this!
- Bake for 2½-3 hours approx. After 2 hours, cover with paper if cake is browning too quickly. To check the cake is done, insert a skewer into the centre – if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.
- Make holes in top of warm cake and pour over remaining brandy.
- Leave cake in tin to cool completely.
- When cold, wrap in greaseproof paper and then tinfoil. Store in a cool dry place.
Note:
This mixture can be divided between two 900g/2lb lined loaf tins or two 15cms/6″ round cake tins or a combination of both and will bake in about 1½ hours at the same temperature. This is ideal for those who just want a small cake and the second cake would make a very acceptable Christmas present!
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