Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake - 8" square / 9" round

Ingredients

• 13ozs sultanas
• 14ozs raisins
• 3 ½ cherries
• 3 ½ ozs chopped almonds
• 3 ½ ozs mixed peel
• 1 grated lemon rind
• 2 ½ tbsp brandy (optional)
• 9 ozs plain flour
• 1 ¼  teasp mixed spice
• ½  teasp nutmeg
• 2 ½  ozs ground almonds
• 8 ozs soft margarine
• 8 ozs brown sugar
• 1 tbsp treacle
• 5 eggs

Icing 

• 1lb marzipan
• 1lb sugarpaste

 
Method

Prepare and protect cake tin.

Mix the prepared fruit, chopped almonds, peel and lemon rind together in a mixing bowl and pour over the brandy.

Sieve the flour, nutmeg and mixed spice and add the ground almonds.

Cream margarine and sugar together until fluffy.

Beat in treacle. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well and adding a little flour with every egg after the first.

Fold in the remaining flour mixed with prepared fruit, half at a time until well mixed.

Bake in a cool oven, 140C for approx. 2 ½ - 3 hrs.

Leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins.

Turn out and remove paper.

When cold, wrap in double greaseproof paper or foil.