Christmas Cake

Rich Fruit Cake Recipe

The Christmas cake is the cake most people want to have a go at, or lend a hand with as it's a fun cake for everyone.

Here is a recipe for a traditional RICH fruit cake if you haven't got one already....

Square Tin	13cm (5in)	15cm (6in)	18cm (7in)	20cm (8in)	23cm (9in)	25cm (10in)	28cm (11in)	30cm (12in)
Round Tin	15cm (6in)	18cm (7in)	20cm (8in)	23cm (9in)	25cm (10in)	28cm (11in)	30cm (12in)
Currants	150g (5oz)	225g (8oz)	350g (12oz)	450g (1lb)	625g (1lb)	775g (1lb 11oz)	1.2kg (2lb 8oz)	1.4kg (3lb)
Sultanas	50g (2oz)	90g (3.5oz)	150g (5oz)	200g (7oz)	225g (8oz)	375g (13oz)	400g (14oz)	500g (1lb 2oz)
Raisins	50g (2oz)	90g (3.5oz)	150g (5oz)	200g (7oz)	225g (8oz)	375g (13oz)	400g (14oz)	500g (1lb 2oz)
Glace Cherries (chopped)	40g (1.5oz)	65g (2.5oz)	75g (3oz)	125g (4oz)	150g (5oz)	225g (8oz)	275g (10oz)	350g (12oz)
Mixed Peel (chopped)	25g (1oz)	50g (2oz)	50g (2oz)	75g (3oz)	125g (4oz)	150g (5oz)	200g (7oz)	250g (9oz)
Blanched Almonds (chopped)	25g (1oz)	50g (2oz)	50g (2oz)	75g (3oz)	125g (4oz)	150g (5oz)	200g (7oz)	250g (9oz)
Lemon Rind (grated)	Quarter of a lemon	Half a lemon	Three quarters of a lemon	A whole lemon	A whole lemon	A whole lemon	One & a half lemons	Two lemons
Plain Flour	90g (3.5oz)	175g (6oz)	200g (7oz)	350g (12oz)	400g (14oz)	600g (1lb 5oz)	700g (1lb 10oz)	825g (1lb 13oz)
Ground Cinnamon (optional)	2.5ml (Half teaspoon)	2.5ml (Half teaspoon)	5ml (1 teaspoon)	5ml (1 teaspoon)	7.5ml (1.5 teaspoons)	10ml (2 teaspoons)	12.5ml (2.5 teaspoons)	15ml (3 teaspoons)
Ground Mixed Spice (optional)	1.5ml (Quarter teaspoon)	1.5ml (Quarter teaspoon)	2.5ml (Half teaspoon)	5ml (1 teaspoon)	5ml (1 teaspoon)	7.5ml (1.5 teaspoons)	7.5ml (1.5 teaspoons)	7.5ml (1.5 teaspoons)
Butter	75g (3oz)	150g (5oz)	175g (6oz)	275g (10oz)	350g (12oz)	500g (1lb 2oz)	600g (1lb 5oz)	800g (1lb 12oz)
Light Soft Brown Sugar	75g (3oz)	150g (5oz)	175g (6oz)	275g (10oz)	350g (12oz)	500g (1lb 2oz)	600g (1lb 5oz)	800g (1lb 12oz)
Eggs (size 2)	1.5	2.5	3	5	6	9	11	14
Black Treacle (optional)	5ml (1 teaspoon)	5ml (1 teaspoon)	15ml (1 tablespoon)	15ml (1 tablespoon)	15ml (1 tablespoon)	30ml (2 tablespoons)	30ml (2 tablespoons)	30ml (2 tablespoons)
Approx Cooking Time at 150C /300F /Gas Mark 2	2 hours	2 hours 30 mins	2 hours 45 mins	3 hours 15 mins	3 hours 45 mins	4 hours 15 mins	5 hours 15 mins	6 hours
Approx Cooked Weight	625g (1.5lb)	1.25kg (2.5lbs)	1.50kg (3.25lbs)	2kg (4.5lbs)	2.75kg (6lbs)	4kg (9lbs)	5kg (11lbs)	6.5kg (14lbs)
Brandy (added after cooking)	30ml (2 tablespoons)	45ml (3 tablespoons)	45ml (3 tablespoons)	60ml (4tablespoons)	75ml (5tablespoons)	90ml (6 tablespoons)	105ml (7 tablespoons)	120ml (8 tablespoons)

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Method

• Weigh out all the ingredients into suitable containers so they are to hand when needed.
• Before starting mixing make sure you have lined the correct tin and turned on the oven. 150°C / 300°F / Gas mark 2
• Make sure the butter is left out of the fridge for a while before use, this will help stop the mixture from curdling later when adding the eggs. The eggs should also be at room temperature before using them and not taken straight from the fridge.
• Make sure your mixing bowl, beater and machine are clean and ready for use.
• Add the butter & sugars(and treacle) to the mixing bowl.
• Cream the butter & sugars(and treacle) together, using the beater, on a high speed until light.
• Stop the machine & give the beater & bowl a scrape down using a plastic scraper.
• Add the eggs slowly on a medium speed so as not to curdle the mixture.
• Sieve the flour (and spices together).
• Add the flour (and spices) gradually on a low speed.
• Stop the machine and scrape down the beater & bowl once more.
• Add the fruit gradually on a low speed (if you like you can leave the dried fruit to soak a few days before with a little sherry or brandy etc).
• Turn off the machine.
• Give the mixture a final turn with your clean hands or a wooden spoon to make sure it's properly mixed through.
• Add the mixture to the tin, leveling & smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or wet closed fingers.

  

• Place into the middle of the oven at 150°C / 300°F / Gas mark 2 for the time given above for your tin size.
• Check the cake after the alloted time using a skewer...place the skewer into the middle of the cake if it comes out clean then the cake is done. If it needs a little more time pop it back in for another ten or fifteen minutes...if it starts burning then it's overdone or your oven is too hot!!
• Remove from the oven ...leave the cake in the tin on the top of the oven or on the side on a cooling rack to cool down.
• When cold tip the cake out of the tin and remove the first layer of paper leaving the greaseproof on the cake...you may add your brandy or sherry or rum to the cake and then wrap up in more greaseproof paper and then a sheet of aluminium foil.
• Store in a cool dry place for a while to mature until needed for decoration.

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