Cake mixture divided up
dense rich cake
All set for Christmas!
It’s that time of year again when we stay home, or up all night! We have to, because it takes 4 hours to bake this ubiquitous Christmas cake. This recipe has been in my family for years. It’s so easy and fun. It also makes a giant cake, so if you do want to divide it into two, or as I have done, use some of the mixture to make smaller ones to give away as presents, then you can have your cake and give it away too. 🙂 As you know all Christmas cakes get better with age. Well, I am still eating this one in March if there’s any left. So here’s the recipe, enjoy:
Christmas Cake
Boil all these ingredients for 10 minutes.
- 1200g (3x 400g packets) of mixed fruit, cherries,
- nuts and peel (optional)
- 2 cups of water
2 cups of brown sugar- 1/2 lb butter (that’s 250g)
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- I also add 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup
Make sure you use a very big pot. Mine was too small so I had to transfer to a bigger pot for it to boil. 
Watch the time so the bottom doesn’t burn. Then let this cool. 
Next beat 3 eggs and 2 tablespoons of brandy together and add to the cooled mixture.
Add
- 3 cups plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Mix these ingredients thoroughly and pour the mixture into a lined tin (large) or smaller tins as you see fit. 
For a large cake, place baking paper above the level of the top rim as the cake will rise above it. Now you can decorate the tops with dried fruit and nuts. 
I used pecan nuts, almonds,
Brazil nuts, crystallized ginger and glazed cherries.
Then bake for 4 hours at 120 degrees Celsius. 
If you have divided up this mixture, the cakes will not take as long, so gauge it by a stick coming out clean. 
I left my small ones in for 3 hours and the bigger one for 3 1/2 – 4 hours.
Once the cakes come out of the oven, pour over a cap full of brandy for small cakes, or two egg cups full of brandy for the big cake. Watch it sizzle and sink into the cake!! 
Store in an airtight container once cooled and wait for 
Christmas to arrive or decorate with fancy Christmas ribbon and give these little delights away as Christmas gifts. 🙂
