Ever since our children were very young each year we would make our Christmas cake together as a family, playing Christmas songs at top volume, eating chocolate coins and watching festive films while it cooked, over the years we have been joined by cousins and aunts, boyfriends and girlfriends, all having fun while the aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and spice filled the air. 

This is our recipe - we have cobbled it together over the years, changing and adding ingredients along the way, its delicious, we always make two cakes, one for the holiday and one for the cold New Year.

INSTRUCTIONS

Grease and double line with parchment the base and sides of your tin, the paper should rise about 4cm higher than the top of your tin.

Put the sugar, butter, fruit, orange juice and brandy into a large saucepan and bring to the boil , stir until the butter has melted (we always cut the butter into small chunks first, reduce the heat a little and let it bubble for about ten minutes, until the fruit is fat and the liquid glossy.

Leave to cool (enough time to watch about half an hour of the Christmas film!)

Heat the oven 

 Whisk the eggs, then add the almonds, sifted flour, baking powder and spices, carefully combine, making sure there are no pockets of flour.

Stir and make a wish.

Add the mix into the tin, and flatten out slightly.                                                   Wrap the tin in a double thickness of brown or newspaper and tie with string, ideally it should be one inch higher than the brown paper

Cook - watch film and enjoy the festive smell filling your home.

The cake is cooked when the skewer comes out clean, as soon as its out the oven skewer the top of the cake and pour 4-5 tablespoons of brandy/sherry over the top (optional) then leave to cool, once cooled then leave the brown paper on, one of the layers of paper used on the base can be put onto the top at this point, wrap with tinfoil and put into an airtight container until ready to decorate.

Let the Festive season begin!

 

SULTANAS

350g

700g

1kg

RAISINS

110g

225g

350g

GLACE CHERRIES

50g

110g

175g

MIXED PEEL (optional)

50g

110g

175g

GLACE CHERRIES

50g

110g

175g

BRANDY/OR SHERRY

60ml

120ml

180ml

BUTTER

110g

225g

350g

DARK MUSCAVADO SUGAR

90g

195g

300g

ORHANGE ZEST GRATED

1⁄3 teaspoon

1 teaspoon

11⁄2 teaspoon

LEMON ZEST GRATED

1⁄2 teaspoon

1 teaspoon

11⁄2 teaspoon

ORANGE JUICE

1⁄4 medium orange

1⁄2 medium orange

1 medium orange

LARGE EGGS

2

4

6

PLAIN FLOUR

250g

350g

525g

MIXED SPICE

1⁄2 teaspoon

1 teaspoon

11⁄2 teaspoon

CINNAMON

Pinch

1⁄4 teaspoon

1⁄4 teaspoon

NUTMEG WHOLE (GRATED)

Pinch

1⁄4 teaspoon

1⁄4 teaspoon

GROUND ALMONDS

30g

60g

120g

SALT

Pinch

Pinch

1⁄4 teaspoon

BAKING POWDER

1⁄4 teaspoon

1⁄2 teaspoon

1 teaspoon

TIN: ROUND

18”

23”

25.5”

TEMPERATURE

150°C/gas mark two

150°C/gas mark two

150°C/gas mark two

COOKING TIME

2 - 21⁄2 hours

3 - 31⁄2 hours

4 - 41⁄2 hours

 

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