Traditional Christmas Cake

If you’re one of those people who enjoy a home baked Traditional Christmas Cake, then it’s time you got cracking, because a good Christmas cake needs time to mature. Mine were made two weeks ago, then over the time between now and the big day it will be periodically given a little tot of brandy to help preserve that delicious moist texture. So you need to be quick and get your made ASAP

Back in the 50’s & 60’s in the part of the part of the UK where I was brought up in we didn’t  usually ice a Christmas Cake, it was always served as you see it below with a nice lump of cheese, either a wensleydale or a tasty chunk of crumbley Cheshire and was referred to as ‘Spice Cake & Cheese’. 

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5 from 3 votes

Traditional Christmas Cake

This is for a 20cm round tin or 118cm square tin.

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Cook Time4 hours hrs

Course: Christmas Cake

Cuisine: British

Calories per Serving 4572

Author: :Mr. Paul

Ingredients

• 450 g currants
• 175 g sultantas
• 175 g raisins
• 50 g glace cherries
• 50 g mixed peel finely chopped
• 3 tblsp brandy
• 225 g plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp nutmeg grated
• ½ tsp mixed spice see my notes below
• 50g g almonds chopped, skins can be left on
• 225 g brown sugar
• 1 dessert spoon black treacle
• 225 g butter unsalted
• 4 eggs
• rind of 1 lemon grated
• rind of 1 orange grated

DISCLAIMER

I recommend using the Metric measurements (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.

Instructions

• grease the tin and line with parchment
• pre-heat your oven to 140ºC, 275ºF, Gar mark 1
• The night before you make the cake place all the dried fruits and peel in a bowl and mix in the brandy. Cover with a cloth and leave to soak overnight.
• Sieve the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl and in a separate bowl cream the soft butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy. I use and electric mixer for this stage. This is the most important part of the cake making process. So don't cut corner at this stage.
• Next beat the eggs and add about a tablespoon at a time to the butter/sugar mixture, beating thoroughly each time before adding the next spoonful. If it looks like it might be curdling, just add a small amount of the flour. Most Important: ALL the ingredients should be at room temperature, I assemble my ingredients the night before and leave them on the work surface.
• When all the egg is added, you can fold in the flour/spice mix (FOLD gently do not beat).

  Now you can gently mix in the fruit and peel, the nuts, grated rinds of lemon and orange together with the treacle (see my note about treacle)
• Once all this is done, you can spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon.
• To protect the outside of the cake whilst baking I fold a few layers of brown paper or even newspaper to the same height as the tin and tie it round with string. Then I cut two circles of parchment with a hole in the middle about the size of a 50 pence coin and place this gently on top on the cake, this will stop any fruit peeping out from burning.
• Bake your cake on a low shelf in the oven and DO NOT open the oven door until it's been baking 3hours 30 minutes, Test with a dry skewer and if it come out clean the cake is ready.
• I personally let my cakes cook completely in the tin whilst sitting on a wire rack. When the cake is completely cold, wrap it well in double parchment and store in an airtight tin. I like to feed mind at intervals with brandy during to storage time.

Paul's Tips

When adding the treacle, if you oil the spoon with a little cooking oil (NOT OLIVE) the treacle will just slide off.

If you can't buy Mixed Spice wherever you live, you can make your own, here is my recipe:

1 tablespoon quality ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground allspice

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoons ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon ground mace

All spices should be ground finely and stored in a screw top jar.

 

Have you tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below, or If you have any other questions or problems Leave me a message HERE

Category: Baking, Blog, British, Cakes, Pastries & Biscuits, Christmas, Cuisine, Recipes, Teatime Treats, Snacks, Party Food