Iced Christmas cake

Name: Iced Christmas cake
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 6 h
Yield: Serves 10
Ingredients: 200 ml (6½ fl oz) rum or brandy; red, green and yellow food colouring; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or essence; 120 g (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 95 g (3¼ oz) soft brown sugar; 60 g (2 oz) chopped mixed peel; 1 tablespoon black treacle; clear alcohol, such as gin or vodka, for brushing; 1 egg white, for royal icing; 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice; juice of ½ lemon, for royal icing; grated rind and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange; 160 g (5¼ oz) plain flour; 200 g (6½ oz) icing sugar, sifted, for royal icing; 95 g (3¼ oz) currants; 60 g (2 oz) glacé cherries; 500 g (1 lb) ready-made marzipan; 95 g (3¼ oz) raisins; 3 eggs, beaten; 250 g (8 oz) sultanas; 1.5 kg (3 lb) ready-made soft icing; 100 g (3¼ oz) apricot jam

Preparation info

Serves
10

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
6 hr

Appears in

Christmas

By Le Cordon Bleu

Published 1999

About

This classic Christmas cake can he started in November or early December and iced nearer to the day. If you are short of time, you can keep the decorations much simpler with just holly leaves and bernes.

Ingredients

95 g (3¼ oz) currants
250 g (8

Cake
December
Vegetarian
Winter
Christmas
November

Method

Double line a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin following the method in the Chef’s techniques. Preheat the oven to warm 160°C (315°F/Gas 2-3).
Place the fruit in a bowl and mix in half the flour. Beat the butter and