What a relief, the Christmas cake finally went in to the oven at eleven thirty this morning and came out perfect, thank the Gods at four o clock. I have over the years tried many recipes with varying degrees of success, the following recipe is my own and the one I baked today
AVIE'S CHRISTMAS CAKE
Ingredients
8oz butter
8oz soft dark brown sugar
1tablespoon of black treacle
5 eggs
4 tablespoons of sherry
5oz self raising flour
7oz plain flour
1teaspoon salt
1teaspoon ground mixed spice
half teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
2oz chopped glacé ginger
4oz chopped glacé cherries
12 oz sultanas
12 oz raisins
2oz chopped dried apricots,soaked over night in the sherry
40z chopped mixed peel
I pre heat oven to 140oc-2750f- reduce by 20o for fan oven.
2 Grease and double line an 8” round or 9” square cake tin.
3 Cream the butter and sugar together and add the black treacle for the final minute or two.
4 Beat the eggs and sherry together, sieve the flours, spices and salt together.
5 gradualy beat half the egg in to the creamed butter and sugar. Fold in a third of the flour mixture . Continue to add the egg and flour mixtures until evenly mixed.
6 Mix in the remaining ingredients then turn into the prepared tin, smooth the top, then with the back of a spoon make a small round dent in the middle of the cake. This helps the cake to rise evenly.
7 Bake in the centre of the oven for 4-4and a half hours, it is wise to cover the cake with a piece of brown paper at the start to prevent it becoming too dark. To check if the cake is ready insert a skewer in the middle, if it comes out clean the cake is done.
8 Leave the cake in the tin to cool on a wire cake rack
9 Prick the top with a skewer and pour in about three tablespoons of Rum, Brandy or Scotch as you prefer.
10 Sore in an airtight tin and allow to mature for a few weeks. Cover with marzipan and ice anyway you choose.
There is time to make this cake before Christmas, good luck.
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