Ok here it is LBB
Christmas cake, best made in September
500g luxury mixed dried fruit
250g vine raisins
75g flaked almonds
75g mixed peel
100g glace cherries
50g chopped walnuts
grated zest of one lemon
4 tbsp brandy....(well thats what it says on the recipe but I just shove glugs in :P)
250g granulated sugar
250g butter
4 eggs
150g plain flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
75g ground almonds
1. Prepare 8 inch cake tin,line base and sides with double thickness baking paper and let it go 5cm above sides.
2. Place all fruit, peel,nuts and grated zest in bowl, pour over brandy and soak overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 150, gas mark2
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs little at a time,beating well inbetween, try to prevent curdling but if it does curdle add a little flour.
4. Stir in fruit and nuts and any liquid and stir well, then fold in flour and ground almonds and mixed spice
5. Spoon mixture into tin, spread evenly.
Add a band of brown paper to outside and above tin and tie with string.
6. Place in oven for 3-3and half hours at 150c, Gas mark 2 until cooked, test with skewer.
Leave to cool fully in tin then put on wire rack.
Wrap up well and feed brandy each week until cake is at legless stage, this is a MUST!
Recipe still works easily if fruit and nut type/amounts are changed to suit taste as long all ingredients balance at the end. (For instance I never put in the chopped walnuts as my son hates them) and add extra ground almonds to make up the quantity.
This is a beautifully moist cake, enjoy!
