Check out our latest magazine... Read Online

A Recipe for a Traditional Christmas Cake

Tuesday, 10 November 2020 10:13

With much more time spent at home in the lead up to Christmas this year, why not revisit an old festive tradition — and bake a Christmas cake to share with the family on the big day. Nothing beats it!

Ingredients
1lb (450g) currants
6oz (175g) sultanas
6oz (175g) raisins
2oz (50g) glace cherries, rinsed and finely chopped
2oz (50g) mixed peel, finely chopped
Three tablespoons of brandy
8oz (225g) plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon mixed spice
2oz (50g) chopped almonds
8oz (225g) soft brown sugar
1 dessert spoon of black treacle
8oz (225g) unsalted butter
Four eggs
Grated rind of one lemon and one orange

To cover the cake you will need
500g of marzipan
1kg fondant icing
Apricot jam
Or use royal icing if you prefer
Decorations

 

Method

  • The night before you make the cake, place all the dried fruit and peel in a bowl and mix in the brandy. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to soak for at least 12 hours.

  • Sieve the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl and in a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.

  • Next, beat the eggs and – a tablespoon at a time – add them to the creamed mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. Prevent curdling by adding a little of the flour.

  • When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices (fold don't beat). Stir in the soaked fruit and peel, the nuts, treacle and grated lemon and orange rinds.

  • Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined tin and spread it out evenly (if you're not going to ice the cake, at this stage you can arrange some whole blanched almonds over the surface – but do it lightly, or else they disappear in the cake).

  • Preheat oven – Gas mark 1, 275 degrees F or 140 degrees C

  • Bake on the lowest shelf of the oven for four and a half hours (don't open the oven to have a peek for at least four hours).

  • When the cake is cold, wrap it well in double greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin. Feed it at odd intervals with brandy by making a few holes in the top with a needle and pouring a few teaspoons of brandy in. Repeat this every few days for a week or two.

  • In the days leading up to the big day, ice and decorate your cake, using a layer of apricot jam (brushed lightly on the cake), followed by a layer of marzipan and a layer of fondant icing. Alternatively, you can use royal icing with no marzipan or jam.

  • Enjoy on Christmas Day.

Share

More from Food and Drink

  • Recipe: Cocktail or Mocktail

    ‘Tis the season to be Jolly! So why not indulge in a cocktail for some festive frivolity? Here is a cocktail and mocktail recipe so everybody can enjoy a special treat this Christmas

  • Party Pieces

    Entertaining can be stressful but there are plenty of ways to make it easy on yourself with some prior preparation as Adele Trathan explains

  • Recipe: Chocolate, Banana & Pecan Cookies

    These scrumptious fudgy cookies are a decadent treat for the whole family – delicious after a brisk autumn walk with a warming cup of cocoa

  • Recipe: Chicken & Mushroom Pot Pies

    These warming and hearty fillers have succulent chicken, chestnut mushrooms and artichokes in a delicious creamy sauce flavoured with mustard – topped off with puff pastry. Tasty!

  • Recipe: Hearty Beef & Pumpkin Stew

    This is the perfect, homely dinner to look forward to as the autumn nights draw in. Adele Trathan explains how to make this delicious casserole that is baked and served straight from the pumpkin

  • Recipe: William Shatner’s Cappuccino Muffins!

    Even in outer space, there’s nothing quite like a cappuccino muffin. Star Trek legend William Shatner goes boldly into the kitchen and delivers the goods...

  • Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

    Deliciously light and fluffy, these red velvet cupcakes with a gorgeous soft cheese frosting are ideal for an afternoon tea – they are sure to impress your guests.

  • Recipe: Saffron & Lemon Chicken Joojeh Kebabs

    This probably features on the menu of every Persian restaurant in the world, the marinade of yogurt and lemon juice tenderises the meat beautifully. This simplified version can be made at home in a conventional oven or grill if you don’t have a barbecue

  • Recipe: Raspberry Blancmange

    Based on a retro classic, this blancmange is a far cry from its wobbly 1970s reputation – instead, this is a light and creamy raspberry and almond dessert

  • South Carolina BBQ Chicken Thighs

    Try this winning BBQ chicken recipe from Grillstock founders Jon Finch and Ben Merrington and learn how to make both an authentic South Carolina BBQ sauce, and their secret BBQ rub.

  • Recipe: Local Lemon and Thyme Sea Bass

    This delicious recipe, courtesy of JBs Cowes, makes the perfect summer dish served with new potatoes.

  • Recipe: Sizzling Spare Ribs with BBQ Sauce

    The perfect spare ribs for your summer barbeque!

  • Recipe: Olive Oil, Pistachio & Lemon Cake

    This simple but delicious cake is made in a food processor, so it takes just minutes to prepare. Serve it with a simple lemon and sugar glaze and sprinkle with a few roughly chopped pistachios and dried rose petals

  • Recipe: Salted Caramel Praline Brownie

    Baker and author of Postal Bakes, Lucy Burton, will have you drooling at these divine brownies.

  • Mary Berry's Mediterranean All-in-One Chicken

    This is a great way to feed the family as the chicken and veg are all cooked in one very large tray in the oven. It takes only minutes to put everything together then it sits in the oven for under an hour with no fussy finishing off to do and only one pan to wash up.

  • Recipe: Simple Fish Curry

    Cooking a curry from scratch can feel a little daunting but this traditional Burmese recipe is really easy. Lightly spiced, warming and stunningly simple, this curry is one you’ll return to again and again

  • Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Buttercups

    The dreamy combination of chocolate and peanut butter is indulgent and decadent so the perfect treat for Easter. These little beauties contain only a few ingredients (with a vegan option) and are quick and super easy to make

  • Recipe: Prune and Orange Hot Cross Buns

    As a master baker and judge of ITV’s Britain’s Best Bakery, Peter Sidwell knows a thing or two about hot cross buns, as this fragrant and delicious recipe testifies.

  • Elvis Pancakes: With Bacon, Bananas & Peanut Butter

    Named after the King of Rock, Elvis Presley – as they contain his favourite ingredients of bacon, bananas and peanut butter – these pancakes are packed with protein and nutrients. They’re also very easy to make.

  • Five Pancake Toppings You Need To Try For Pancake Day

    Elevate your pancake game with these five irresistible toppings that will add a burst of flavour and excitement to your pancake day...

Get Social

© Beacon Magazine Isle of Wight and Aiir 2024 | 8-10 Dodnor Park, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5XE