Traditional Christmas Cake

Name: Traditional Christmas Cake
Yield: Makes one 20-cm (8-in) cake
Ingredients: 50 g/2 oz blanched almonds, chopped; 2 tablespoons brandy or milk to mix; 2 tablespoons brandy or milk to mix; 225 g/8 oz sultanas; 225 g/8 oz seedless raisins; 100 g/4 oz chopped candied peel; 100 g/4 oz glacé cherries, washed and quartered; 4 large eggs; 1 tablespoon black treacle; ½ teaspoon vanilla essence; 225 g/8 oz currants; 1 level teaspoon mixed spice; 1 level teaspoon salt; 225 g/8 oz butter; 225 g/8 oz soft brown sugar; 275 g/10 oz plain flour

Preparation info

Makes
one
cake

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Times Calendar Cookbook

By Katie Stewart

Published 1977

About

Butter makes rich cakes keep moist much longer. Use it to make your Christmas cakes, and any other cakes that are intended to be kept for some time to mature.

Ingredients

275 g/10 oz plain flour
1 level teaspoon mixed spice

Dessert
Vegetarian
Cake
Christmas

Method

Sieve together the flour, spice and salt and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar until very soft and light. Lightly mix the eggs, treacle and vanilla essence together, then gradually beat into the creamed mixture a little at a time. Add some of the flour along with the last few additions of egg. Add 1–2 t