Mum's Christmas Cake

I'm a big fan of Christmas cake and every year Mum would have bought me my own cake to nibble away at. This year I decided to make it myself and used the recipe from Mum's cook book. I had a load of fun making this, and half way through realised I didn't have a big enough bowl to mix the cake batter and fruit mix together so rushed out to Tesco and bought an 8 litre bowl for £2!!!! Bargain. I'm excited to use it for making big batches of rice krispie buns and things! I know I'm like a child.

Anyways on with the recipe....



Mum's Christmas Cake

Ingredients
1/2 lb sultanas
1/2 lb currants
1/2 lb raisins
1/4 lb candied peel or green glacé cherries
1/4 lb red glacé cherries
2 oz shredded almonds
2 oz ground almonds
grated rind of 1 orange or lemon

1/2lb butter
1/2 lb soft brown sugar
5 eggs
1/2 lb plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch salt
Splash of spirits (or if you're like me some orange juice)

Recipe
1. Line and grease an 8" round tin (or 7" square tin).
2. Mix the sultanas, currants, raisins, candied peel, cherries, almonds and orange/lemon rind in one bowl and set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together but not so much because the fruit may sink if there's a lot of air)
4. In a separate bowl mix the flour, mixed spice, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
5. Mix an egg into the creamed butter, then some flour, then an egg, then some flour - keep alternating until all the eggs and flour have been mixed in.
6. Mix the batter and fruit mix together well, stir in the spirits (/orange juice) and pour into your cake tin.
7. Just before baking sprinkle a little water on top.
8. Bake in the oven at 325˚F for 1 hour
9. Bake for a further hour at 300˚F
10 Bake for one more hour at 275˚F. (During the baking try not to open the oven)
11. Leave to cool in the tin before removing it.

I covered mine with marzipan and white icing but it's fine without and can be stored in a cool place, wrapped in greaseproof paper and foil.



For some other Christmas recipes check out my posts from last year:
Jamie's Mince Pies - which I've made this year again
Traditional Mince Pies
Ginger Glazed Gammon/Ham
Sage, Sausage and Apricot Stuffing
Christmas Roast veggies