Christmas Cake

Name: Christmas Cake
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups currants; 1 1/4 cups golden raisins; 2/3 cup raisins; 1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped; 1/2 cup red glace cherries, chopped; 1/2 cup crystallised ginger, sliced; 1/2 cup candied mixed peel; 1/4 cup brandy, plus additional adding during storage; 1 2/3 cups flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp mixed spice, such as pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened; 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar; 4 None eggs, at room temperature; 2/3 cup chopped almonds; 1/2 cup Brazil nuts, sliced; 2 None lemons, peel finely grated; 1 None orange, peel finely grated; 1/2 cup milk, warmed; 2/3 cup blanched almonds, for the top (optional)

21 ingredients

6 steps

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups currants
1 1/4 cups golden raisins
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1/2 cup red glace cherries, chopped
1/2 cup crystallised ginger, sliced
1/2 cup candied mixed peel
1/4 cup brandy, plus additional adding during storage
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mixed spice, such as pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 None eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup Brazil nuts, sliced
2 None lemons, peel finely grated
1 None orange, peel finely grated
1/2 cup milk, warmed
2/3 cup blanched almonds, for the top (optional)

Directions

1

Soak fruit, ginger and peel in brandy overnight.
2

Line the bottom and sides of a deep 9-inch cake pan with a double thickness of parchment paper. Wrap a double thickness of thick plain brown paper around the outside of the pan and tie securely with string.
3

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Sift flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat eggs in a small bowl. Gradually beat into butter and sugar, adding 1 tbsp of dry ingredients every so often to prevent the mixture separating. Fold in remaining dry ingredients with a large spoon or spatula.
4

Fold in fruit and all the juices, nuts and lemon and orange peels. Stir in warmed milk. Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Arrange almonds on top.
5

Bake for 3 1/2-4 hours in the center of the oven until the cake is a deep golden brown, and a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool for 1 hour in the pan. Remove from the pan, keeping parchment paper on; cool on a wire rack.
6

Return the cake to the pan for storage. Keep it well wrapped in a cool pantry. If desired, add a little brandy every week by making several holes in the cake with a skewer and dribbling in a little brandy, then rewrap cake.