1 lb raisins,
2 lb sultanas or golden raisins,
4 oz chopped candied peel,
4oz Glacé cherries halved, Preheat the oven to cool 300°F (Gas Mark 2, 150°C).
4 tablespoons crystallized ginger Prepare the cake tin and baking sheet.
(I use 1 tsp ginger if i can’t find it), Put the raisins, currants, candied peel, glacé cherries,
6 oz slivered almonds, ginger and almonds into a large bowl and add 4 table-
1 lb flour spoons of the flour. Mix well together, making sure all the
1 tsp salt, fruit is lightly covered with flour. Set the bowl aside.
1 tsp ground allspice, Sift the remaining flour, salt, nutmeg, allspice and cinna-
1.5 tsp grated nutmeg, mon into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
1 tsp ground cinnamon, In a large mixing bowl beat the softened butter and
12 oz butter, sugar together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is
14 oz dark brown sugar, smooth and creamy. Pour in half the beaten eggs and stir
8 large eggs beaten, well to mix. Pour in the remaining beaten eggs and stir
1 tablespoon molasses, until the ingredients are blended together. Stir in the
5 tablespoons brandy, rum or whiskey treacle (molasses) until the mixture is an even brown
color.
Adapted from a 19th century Christmas cake recipe — Gradually add the flour and spice mixture, folding it in
the original called for several bushels of flour and 30 with a wooden spoon or spatula. When all the ingredients
eggs — this cake is rich, moist and filled with fruit and are well combined, add the fruit, a little at a time, stirring
nuts. Like other rich fruit cakes, it improves with keep- to make sure that no traces of flour can be seen in the
ing and should be baked at least 2 to 3 months before fruit. Pour in the rum or brandy.
Christmas. Before Storing the cake, pierce the top and Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin, smooth-
bottom with a skewer or fine knitting needle and ing it down with a spatula, and make a hollow in the
dribble 4 to 5 tablespoons of rum or brandy over both center. This will stop the cake from rising too much in the
surfaces. Wrap it in aluminium foil and store it in an middle. Place the tin on the lined baking sheet and put it
airtight tin. in the oven on the shelf just below the center. Bake for 5
Because of the long slow cooking the cake tin hours.
must be properly lined. Do this before you start mixing After 1 hour, lower the temperature to 275°F (Gas Mark
the cake. First, lightly grease the inside of the cake tin 1, 140°C) and bake for another hour. At this stage check
and then line it, base and sides, with a double layer of the cake and if necessary place the aluminium foil over
greaseproof or waxed paper. Cut a strip of heavy the top, without removing the cake from the oven.
brown paper one inch wider than the depth of the tin Continue to bake for another 3 hours. To test if the cake is
and long enough to fit round the tin twice. Tie the cooked insert a skewer into the center. If it is done, the
brown paper around the outside of the tin firmly with skewer will come out clean.
string. Place a double thickness of brown paper or When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and
newspaper on a baking sheet wide enough to hold leave it to cool in the tin for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn the cake
the cake tin. out on to a large wire rack and when it is almost cold,
Halfway through the cooking time check the cake remove the greaseproof or waxed paper from the bottom
to make sure that the top is not browning too quickly. and sides.
If it is, place a piece of aluminium foil over the top of Leave the cake on the rack for a least 12 hours before
the cake and continue baking for the required time. wrapping in aluminium foil and storing.
