Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake

From ‘And the Love is Free’ Print Book page 106.
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My Mum’s fruit cake was legendary. At Christmas time she’d pump out five or more cakes in varying sizes to give as gifts. She was also a dab hand with the whole cake decoration thing. From wedding cakes like mine, simply covered in white icing and a lovely arrangement of white flowers, to Dad’s birthday cake with mini sheep. Luckily my sister Sas seems to have inherited Mum’s flair for fruit cakes and decoration as you can see in the picture above.

375g (13oz) sultanas
125g (4oz) raisins
60g (2oz) currants
60g (2oz) glace cherries
60g (2oz) mixed peel
1/4 cup brandy
125g (4oz) butter
2/3 cup (130g or 4 1/2 oz) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon marmalade
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (185g or 6 1/2 oz) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Place fruit in a bowl with the brandy. Mix well, cover and stand overnight to absorb.

Preheat oven to 150C (300F). Cream butter and sugar. Add citrus zest, vanilla and marmalade. Drop in one egg at a time, mixing well after adding both. Fold in flour and fruit gradually.

Place in an 18cm (7in) deep round cake tin or a 15cm (6in) square tin double lined with foil. Smooth the top with a little water.

Bake for 2 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Drizzle with 1/4 cup of brandy over the top, and then cover with two layers of foil.

Note: Leave wrapped in a towel for at least a week: but preferably a month or two before icing and decorating. Shop bought mixed fruit may be used instead of the individual fruit, but Mum always mixed it up herself. She said it was worth the extra time.