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Make & mature Christmas cake

Ingredients

  1. Step 1 1kg mixed dried fruit (use a mix of raisins, sultanas, currants, cherries, cranberries, prunes or figs)
  2. Step 2 zest and juice 1 orange
  3. Step 3 zest and juice 1 lemon
  4. Step 4 150ml brandy, Sherry, whisky or rum, plus extra for feeding
  5. Step 5 250g pack butter, softened
  6. Step 6 200g light soft brown sugar
  7. Step 7 175g plain flour
  8. Step 8 100g ground almond
  9. Step 9 ½ tsp baking powder
  10. Step 10 2 tsp mixed spice
  11. Step 11 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  12. Step 12 ¼ tsp ground cloves
  13. Step 13 100g flaked almonds
  14. Step 14 4 large eggs
  15. Step 15 1 tsp vanilla extract
Make & mature Christmas cake
Calories: 678 Carbohydrate: 88 g Protein: 9 g Fat: 29 g
Cook time: 155 minutes Prep time: 25 minutes Total time: 180 minutes Servings: 1215

TAGS

Dessert British Celebration cake Christma Christmas-kitchen Festive Fruit cake Fruitcake James Martin Make Ahead Mince meat Mincemeat Xma

Directions

  1. Step 1 Put 1kg mixed dried fruit, the zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon, 150ml brandy or other alcohol, 250g softened butter and 200g light, soft brown sugar in a large pan set over a medium heat.
  2. Step 2 Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Tip the fruit mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 30 mins.
  3. Step 3 Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside - tie with string to secure.
  4. Step 4 Add 175g plain flour, 100g ground almonds, ½ tsp baking powder, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 100g flaked almonds, 4 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the fruit mixture and stir well, making sure there are no pockets of flour.
  5. Step 5 Tip into your prepared tin, level the top with a spatula and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs.
  6. Step 6 Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp of your chosen alcohol. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
  7. Step 7 To store, peel off the baking parchment, then wrap well in cling film. Feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp alcohol every fortnight, until you ice it.
  8. Step 8 Don't feed the cake for the final week to give the surface a chance to dry before icing.