Well the festive season is upon us so thought I’d restart the blog with some Festive recipes
This cake can be made without soaking the fruit due to the moist brown sugar used (and the copious amounts of brandy). Given the date, you don’t really have time to soak the fruit in brandy for a few weeks now, but if you’re making it next year I’d recommend it if you like your cake with a mighty kick.
Ingredients
- 12ozs raisins
- 1lbs currants
- 12ozs sultanas
- 4oz flaked almonds – finely chopped
- 6ozs mixed peel
- 4ozs glace cherries
- Grated rind o f 1/2 lemon + juice of 1 lemon
- 2oz crystillised ginger
- 2oz dried figs
- 2oz dates
- 12oz unsalted butter
- 12oz moist brown sugar
- 6 medium eggs
- 12 oz plain four (sifted)
- `1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 all spice
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 3 tbsp brandy + more to feed the cake.
Cream the butter, sugar and grated lemon ride together until it’s light and fluffy
Beat in the eggs one at a time, taking care not to let them curdle
Mix all the dry ingredients together in another bowl.
Add slowly to the creamed butter, sugar and eggs. Add the black treacle and mix throughly.
Mix in brady and lemon juice to form a dropping consistancy.
Turn into a lined 20″ cake tin, (which has been lined with the grease proof paper about 2 inches over the top of the tin).
Ensure there are no air bubbles in the mix
Cook at 160 C for 2 hours.
Reduce heat to 150c and cook for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Cake should be firm but springy when fully cooked, and check with a skewer that the cake is cooked through. If top starts to burn, cover with greaseproof paper.
Turn out on the cake rack and allow to cool.
Once cooled, wrap tightly in cooking foil and once a week feed with 2 tbsp’s of brandy until icing time.
I’ll cover icing the cake later with pictures. 
