Ingredients

1500 g…3 lb 5 oz of mixed dried fruit
(Buy it mixed or mix your own with sultanas, currants, cherries, raisins, apricots, dates, etc)
6 tbsp brandy, or similar if you prefer a different spirit
250 g…9 oz butter or margarine, chopped into chunks
400 g…14 oz dark brown sugar, Muscovado is ideal
5 medium eggs, beaten
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
2 tbsp black treacle, or molasses
375 g…13 oz plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
250 g…9 oz chopped mixed nuts
50 g…2 oz ground almonds

For the icing (frosting):

435 g…16 oz icing sugar
1 egg white, or equivalent water/gelatin mix
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 tsp vanilla essence
Holly leaves (washed) to decorate

One greased, deep 20cm/8in cake tin, double lined wih waxed or greaseproof paper.

Preheat the oven to 150 deg C, 300 deg F, Gas Mark 2.

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Start the easy Christmas cake recipe by placing the dried fruit along with the butter or margarine, sugar, molasses, brandy, orange rind and orange juice in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil gently and the leave to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Remove from the heat and allow to cool down.

When cool, add the chopped nuts, beaten eggs and ground almonds and stir thoroughly.

In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and spice together and then stir gently into the mix until completely blended.

Spoon into the prepared cake tin, roughly level the top and place in the centre of the preheated oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour turn the oven down to 140 deg C, 275 deg F, Gas Mark 1 and continue to bake for about 2 1/4 hours.

If the top of the cake is browning too much and drying out, cover it with a layer of foil or greaseproof paper for protection. Test to see if a skewer, or similar, comes out clean when pushed into the centre of the cake. If not test again after 10-15 minutes.

Remove the fruit cake from the oven when cooked and allow to cool in the tin on a wire rack. To store, turn out of the tin, wrap in foil and/or greaseproof/waxed paper and store in an airtight container until time to decorate.

Open from time to time and drizzle with a little brandy for a realy delicious cake!

For decorating – beat together the icing sugar, lemon juice, egg white and vanilla essence in a bowl. If you prefer not to eat raw egg, substitute a few tablespoons of water/gelatin instead. When the icing mix is smooth and well blended, roughly spread it over the cake using a knife, before using a fork to rough it up into an attractive pattern. Finish by decorating with the holly leaves, or any other Christmas cake decorations.

Share this easy Christmas cake recipe with friends and then you’ll have even more to eat yourself. Only joking – share the homemade cake as well, not just the recipe!

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