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

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

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