TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 800 g, mixture of sultanas, raisins and currants
• 50 g candied peel, chopped
• 50 g glazed cherries, chopped
• 4 tbsp brandy
• 230 g butter
• 230 g sort brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 230 g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 50 g almonds or mixed nuts, chopped
• grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• extra brandy for feeding.

THE DAY BEFORE

First place all the dried fruit, candied peel and  cherries  in a large bowl together with brandy. Mix and cover. Let the mixture soak for  10- 12 hours.

METHOD

First prepare the cake tin by grease and lining with greaseproof paper. Sizes are, 18 cm square tin and 20 cm round tin.

Pre-heat the oven to 140C, 275 F. 

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat up the eggs and add little at a time to the creamed mixture, beating after each addition.

Sift flour with salt and mixed spice.Add to butter and egg mixture and fold.  Then stir in the fruit mixture that has been soaking. Add the treacle,  nuts,  lemon and orange rind. Spoon this mixture into the cake tin.

Tie a band of brown paper, around the outside of the cake tin and tie it with a string. Cover the top of the cake mixture with double greaseproof paper with a hole in the middle, for steam to escape. 

Bake the cake on the lover shelf of the oven for 4 hours.

Cool on wire rack and store in a tin wrapped with greaseproof paper. Feed with brandy occasionally during the storing time. ( Make few holes in the top of the cake with a needle and pour 2-3 tsp of brandy to soak the cake ) Reaped this at intervals  for one or two weeks before Christmas.

NOTE : You can use PEKMEZ instead of black treacle.