A GREAT Christmas Cake Recipe

For the past few years we have had a Christmas Cake given to us by our Aunt Muriel, but now, at the grand age of 98, she has finally moved from her home into a Residential Home, and so we have to find a good recipe for ourselves. Whilst looking for one I stumbled across a great site --- especially if you like your food! --- called The Cottage Smallholder, and lo and behold I found what promises the elixir of life for all Christmas Cake junkies. In our household there are only two of us who enjoy Christmas Cake, and one of us does not like the addition of candied peel that most recipes include, so the recipe below will ensure that we are both satisfied. We don't like a cake that is too dark, too heavy or too dry, and this looks as though the opposite of all three 'Don't likes . . .' will be the case. Why not try it and see for yourself.

Also, take a visit to The Cottage Smallholder blog site and check out some of the other recipes to be found there.

Last minute Christmas Cake recipe

Equipment:

8" round cake tin (4" deep), baking parchment.

Ingredients:
· 450g raisins
· 285g sultanas
· 110g currants
· 180g glacé cherries (halved)
· 110g ground almonds
· 225g unsalted butter (room temperature)
· 225g soft brown sugar (pale)
· 285g plain flour (sieved) . zest of a lemon
· 5 eggs
· 2 tsp of mixed spice
· 2 tbsp of pale runny honey
· 200 ml of beer (I used Speckled Hen)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 160c (140 fan)


• Line the base and sides of the 8" cake tin with a double thickness of baking parchment. Cut the paper an inch deeper than the tin so that it is sticking above the top rim.


• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (I use an electric mixer for this).


• Beat the eggs well and add them gradually to the mixture, a little at a time, beating them well. If the mixture curdles beat in a teaspoon of the flour before continuing.


• Using a tablespoon, gently fold in the flour, lemon zest and spices.


• Fold in the beer and honey and stir gently.


• Add the fruit and ground almonds and stir gently.


• Transfer the mixture to the cake tin and make a hollow in the centre of the mixture (roughly 2" wide and 1" deep).


• Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for about 2.5 hours depending on your oven, it may need a little longer. Check that it is cooked by inserting a skewer into the middle - this should be clean when removed. The centre should feel firm and springy if touched.


• Turn out onto a wire rack. When it is cold, make a few holes in the top and bottom of the cake (using a skewer) and feed the cake with the Irish whiskey (brandy would be fine as an alternative).


• Wrap the cake in baking parchment and store in a tin or cover with foil until you need it.
  
  A useful Tip:


• If you are going to cover the cake with marzipan and ice it, put the marzipan on a few days before it is iced so the surface of the marzipan can dry. Otherwise the marzipan can bleed through and stain the icing.