THIS is the Christmas Cake to make. I promise you – you won’t regret it. Especially considering the amount of alcohol it has in it.
This is my grandmother’s recipe and has been passed down through the family. Every time I smell it or taste it, I am taken back to my childhood. I hope you have a cake like this, and if not, you can use this one and just say it’s your recipe. Go on, it’s ok; we all need to start a tradition at some point…
This cake will last at least 6 months thanks to the amount of alcohol in it. I kid you not.
**** NOTE: this recipe makes TWO cakes or one LARGE cake**** halve the recipe to make one cake
INGREDIENTS (halve this recipe to make ONE cake)
1kg Mixed Fruit
57 grams dried apricots
110 grams cherries
1/2 cup of Rum
225 grams Butter
225 grams Brown Sugar
Rind of 1 orange and lemon
1 dessert spoon of baking soda
1 dessert spoon of treacle
5 beaten eggs
1/4 teaspoon of salt
225 grams plain flour
57 grams self raising flour
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 small glass sherry
DIRECTIONS
Into a large pot, put the mixed fruit plus the apricots, cherries, rum, butter & brown sugar. Mix and heat until just bubbly. Add the orange and lemon rind. Next add the treacle and then the baking soda – when you add the baking soda the mixture will increase in size. Just take off the heat and continue to stir. Cover this and leave overnight. The next day add the beaten eggs, salt, plain flour, self-raising flour and the mixed spice.
Line two tins (bottom and edges) with thin card (or a few layers of newspaper) and then baking paper. Doing this ensures the cake cooks all the way through. Cook at 130 degrees for 2-2.5 hours. When cooked make small holes (while hot) with a knitting needle or skewer and pour over a glass of sherry.
You can ice it if you want, or leave it plain. We prefer to leave it plain.
NOTE:
To make gluten free, simply swap the regular / self raising flour for a Gluten Free one. Also you’ll need to ensure all other ingredients are gluten free as well. If you have Coeliac Disease (like me) then EVERYTHING has to be gluten free.
Remember – the above mixture makes TWO cakes!! 😛 So halve everything to make one small cake or leave it and make one large cake.
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