A perfect recipe for a delightful Christmas cake:
Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 4hours 30 minutes Total time: 5hours 30 minutes
First gather...
1 lb 2oz/ 525g currants 8oz/225g golden raisins 8oz/225g raisins 4oz/110g mixed candied peel, finely chopped 6oz/165g glace cherries, halved 10oz/300g plain flour Pinch of salt ½ level tsp mixed spice ½ level tsp ground cinnamon ½ level tsp freshly ground nutmeg 300g butter, slightly softened 1oz/300g soft brown sugar zest ½ lemon 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
And last but not least...
3tbsp brandy, plus extra for feeding.
Preheat Oven to 300 F/ 150 C/ Gas 2
* Line a 9inch cake tine with 2 thicknesses of parchment or greaseproof paper.
* In a large (the larger the better!) baking bowel, mix the currants, sultanas, raisins, peel and cherries with the flour salt and spices.
* In a 2nd large bowel cream the butter with the sugar until lightly fluffy. Stir in lemon zest, add beaten egg to the mix a little bit at a time, beating well after each addition- (take it slow as the threat of curdling lurks!! BUT if it does curdle simply add a tbsp of flour and mix again.)
* Carefully fold in ½ the flour and fruit into the egg and butter mixture. Once mixed repeat with what's left of the fruit and flour. Finally, add the brandy.
* Spoon mixture into cake tin (no air pockets please)
TIP: To create the perfect icing surface, before the cake goes in the oven use the back of a wooden spoon to make a slight dip in the centre
Bake for 4 ½ hours
TIP: If the cake is browning too rapidly, cover the tin with double layer of greaseproof paper after 2 ½ hours.
It's tempting to view your masterpiece as it bakes but try to avoid opening the oven door too often as this can cause the cake to collapse.
Once baked... Leave the cake to cool in the tin on a wire rack for an hour, then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely.
The BEST bit: Once cooled prick the surface of the cake with a fine metal skewer and slowly pour 2-3 tbsp brandy. Feed the cake brandy every two weeks up until Christmas- it tis the season to be jolly after all!!
-
One for the pot: Nine of the prettiest vases to gift this Mother's Day, instead of flowersWe typically send our mothers flowers on Mothering Sunday, but what about a vase to hold them in?
-
The extraordinary Egyptian-style Leeds landmark hoping to become a second British Library — and they used to let sheep graze on the roofThe project has been awarded £10million from the Government, but will cost £70million in total.
-
Summer pudding recipe: buttery pistachio tartsThe very best pistachios might be costly, but they make a suitably sumptuous pudding.
-
Recipe: Floral strawberry shortcake perfect for summerNothing represents our glorious British summer quite like sweet and juicy strawberries.
-
How to make hummingbird carrot cake, an traditional favourite with a twistCarrot cake, with a tropical twist from out kitchen garden cook.
-
How to make chocolate-and-orange upside-down tea cake, with orange whipped creamSo much more than marmalade – our kitchen garden cook Melanie Johnson finds delicious things to do with oranges.
-
How to make quince-and-walnut crumble cakeOur kitchen garden cook bakes quince-and-walnut crumble cake, a delicious autumnal pudding which will satisfy seasonal glut.
-
How to make salted-caramel, apple and roasted-hazelnut galetteA fail-safe French pudding recipe from our kitchen garden cook.
-
How to make Frances Quinn’s banoffee tumbler trifleTry this delicious pudding from former GBBO winner at your very own candlelit supper and 'Shine for ShelterBox.'
-
Perfect pud: Cherry clafoutis with kirsch compoteTry this speciality of the Limousin region.
