1kg mixed dried fruit
Zest and juice of 1 orange
250g softened butter
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
150ml brandy, Sherry, whisky
200g light soft brown sugar
175g plain flour
100g ground almonds
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
100g flaked almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Combine dried fruit, orange zest, lemon zest, orange juice, lemon juice, brandy, butter, and brown sugar in a pan. Heat until boiling, then simmer for 5 mins.
Preheat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a 20cm cake tin with parchment and wrap with newspaper.
Add flour, ground almonds, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, cloves, flaked almonds, eggs, and vanilla extract to the fruit mixture. Stir well.
Pour batter into the tin, level with a spatula, and bake for 2 hours in the center of the oven.
Remove from oven, poke holes with a skewer, and spoon over 2 tbsp of alcohol. Cool in the tin.
Peel off parchment, wrap in cling film, and feed with alcohol every fortnight until ready to ice.
Don’t feed the cake in the final week to let the surface dry before icing.
Follow these steps to create a rich and moist Christmas cake, ensuring a delightful centerpiece for your festive celebrations.