Traditional Christmas cake

Name: Traditional Christmas cake
Yield: Serves 20
Ingredients: 225 g/8 oz/1⅓ cups sultanas (golden raisins); 225 g/8 oz/1 cup currants; 225 g/8 oz/1⅓ cups raisins; 115 g/4 oz/½ cup prunes, stoned (pitted) and chopped; 50 g/2 oz/¼ cup glacé (candied) cherries, halved; 50 g/2 oz/⅓ cup chopped mixed (candied) peel; 45 ml/3 tbsp brandy or sherry; 225 g/8 oz/1 cup butter, plus extra for greasing; 225 g/8 oz/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour; pinch of salt; 2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon; 2.5 ml/½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 15 ml/1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder; 225 g/8 oz/1 cup soft dark brown sugar; finely grated rind of 1 orange or 1 lemon; 4 large (US extra large) eggs; 50 g/2 oz/½ cup ground almonds; 60 ml/4 tbsp apricot jam; 50 g/2 oz/½ cup chopped almonds; 450 g/1 lb almond paste; icing (confectioners’) sugar for dusting; 30 ml/2 tbsp Kirsch or brandy; 225 g/8 oz royal icing; 450 g/1 lb white sugarpaste icing

Preparation info

Serves
20

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Cakes

By Ann Nicol

Published 2014

About

Make this cake a few weeks before Christmas. Once or twice during this time, pierce the cake with a skewer and spoon over 30–45ml/2–3 tbsp brandy to make it beautifully moist and rich.

Ingredients

225 g/8 oz/1⅓ cups sultanas (golden raisins)
225

Cake
Vegetarian

Method

The day before you want to bake the cake, put all the dried fruit in a large bowl. Pour in the brandy or sherry, cover with clear film (plastic wrap) and leave overnight.
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20