EASY PEASY CHRISTMAS CAKE

EASY PEASY CHRISTMAS CAKE

This year why don’t you make your own Christmas cake, not only is it better value for money but it will impress your family and friends too. I like to make 4 or 5 cakes as they make great Christmas gifts.

Make this Christmas extra special this year and bake your loved ones this beautifully rich Christmas fruit cake. 

INGREDIENTS 

- 850g Mixed fruit & peal (Asda sell 500g smart price bags)
- 50g Glacé Cherries, chopped
- 100ml Brandy
- 225g Plain Flour
- Half teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- 225g Unsalted butter (Room temp)
- 225g Soft Brown Sugar 
- 4 Large Eggs (Room temp)
- 50g Chopped Almonds
- 1 tablespoon black treacle
- Grated zest of 1 Lemon and 1 Orange

HOW TO:

1. First things first, pour mixed fruit and cherries into a large bowl and mix in 100ml of Brandy. Cover with cling and leave over night and let the fruit drink up all the brandy. 

2. Next day: Pre-heat oven to 120cFAN/140c/Gas1. Measure out all the ingredients and line a tall sided 9” or 10” cake tin with parchment paper. Delia Smith has some great tips on how to line cake tins:-http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/baking/how-to-line-a-cake-tin.html

3.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. 

4. Sift the flour, salt, mixed spice into the butter and sugar mixture and mix till its roughly combined. 

5. Beat eggs into separate bowl and add them into the butter, sugar and flour mixture little by little while beating. Its ok if it curdles a little, its a very dense cake. 

6. Fold in fruit, almonds, lemon/orange zest and black treacle (grease the spoon and will help the treacle to slide off the spoon)

7. Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin, spread out evening and bang the tin on the kitchen surface a few times to release any trapped air bubbles. Also a little tip to get a level top when baked is to make a little delve with the back of a spoon in the middle of the mixture. 

8. Before placing the cake into the oven, cover the cake tin with a double layer of parchment paper, make a hole in the middle to let out steam. This will protect the cake from catching during its long slow bake.

10. Bake on the lowest shelf in the oven and bake for around 4.5 hours. Check the cake after 4 hours with a knife or skewer by probing it into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean then its done if not leave it in longer.

11. Let the cake cool for 30 to 40 minuets and then remove from the tin and place onto a wire rack to finish cooling. 

12. Using a skewer make small holes in the top and base of the cake, then brush brandy all over. Feed one side of the cake brandy every 1 and a half weeks and turn the cake over until your ready to ice or eat it.