A Gardeners Forum Forums Willy's Place Members Favorite Recipes RICH CHRISTMAS CAKE

Rich Christmas Cake
1lb 2oz currants
8oz sultanas
8oz raisins
4oz mixed peel chopped
6oz glazed cherries halved
10oz plain flour
a pinch of salt
1/2 level tsp mixed spice
1/2 level tsp ground cinnamon
10oz butter
10oz soft brown sugar
Grated rind of 1/2 a lemon
6 eggs beaten
3 tbsps brandy (or more )

Line a 9 ins cake tin.using 2 thicknesses of greaseproof
paper.tie a double band of brown paper round the
outside.
Clean the fruit if necessary.mix the prepared currants
sultanas,raisins,peel and cherries with the flour,salt
and spices.cream the butter,sugar and lemon rind until
pale and fluffy.Add the eggs a little at a time,beating
well after each addition.Fold in half the flour and fruit,
using a tablespoon,then fold in the rest and add the
Brandy.Put in a tin,spread the mixture evenly
making sure there are no air pockets,and make a dip in
the centre.Stand the tin on a layer of newspaper or brown
paper in the lower part of a cool oven(300'f)
and bake for about 41/2 hrs.To avoid over-browning
the top,cover it with several thicknesses of greaseproof
paper after 2 1/2 hrs.
When the cake is cooked,leave it to cool in the tin and
then turn it out on a wire rack.To store,wrap it in
several layers of greaseproof paper and put it in an
airtight tin.
Add a thin layer of almond paste around sides and top
leave several days to dry then you can cover with icing add
your own decorations- christmas tree- snowman- ect

What a wonderful-sounding cake! Is "mixed spice" the same as allspice???

Hi Jillie,

Yes the wife says that allspice and mixspice
are one of the same

Dave

Ah man,
my mouth is watering just reading that!!!
What a yummy sounding cake.
That must have been awesome for a wedding cake.

I do have a question too,
I bake but am not a big baker, but I wondered
what the brown paper bag does
(And it doesn't burn?? I have a gas oven??
I am looking forward to spring, and growing them.
Thank~You!!
Does the wife want any flower seeds????

Hey Limey,
I'm back looking through the recipe????
What are glazed cherries/??
I've heard of marachino cherries and
chocolate covered cherries......

What are they glazed with???
Is that something we can get here?

Weezie

Weez, aren't they the ones you put in fruitcake, along with the rubber bands, jacks and shoelaces?

(Can you tell exactly how I feel about fruitcake?)

Jillie,
That's too funny!!!

I have never had fruit cake.
I have heard about it.......
It didn't sound too bad,
but I guess it's a hard to chew cake.
(or heavy????)

I never thought about a candied ones,
like at Christmas time, that comes
in containers, next to the fruit rinds
for the fruit cake?????
Maybe that's it.....

Weezie

Oh, Lordy, I used to get the Annual Christmas Fruitcake from a company I worked for, years ago. At first, I gave it a go and would make little slices for holiday guests. It seems none of our friends liked it, either, so I stopped even opening the darned things. When we moved, I found tin after tin of stashed fruitcakes (if unopened, they'll last as long as concrete, me thinks). I saved the tins & out went (finally) the cakes.
:p
Limy's cake recipe sounds best, not like what I'm used to in those inevitable, relentless tins.....

Should of saved them as well as others and made an awesome retaining wall!!!! Would last for many years!!!!

Does anybody actually eat them? Fess up....somebody must!!!!

I had some years ago when I was younger.....not a huge fan of them though, and I think the retaining wall would be a great fruitcake project.....thought that was funny...LOL

Dang, hardscape material! I wouldn't have thought of that. Hey! A new cottage industry could develop! Brilliant, Cat!

Hey I want the Patent rights on that!LOL
It would be funny watching them try and remove it years later!!LOL

Cat, you are hilarious!