14th December 2016

Silv’s Christmas cake

8 oz (225g) margarine or butter
2 oz (55g) SR flour (or plain plus baking powder)
8 oz (225g) plain flour
8 oz (225g) soft brown sugar
8 oz (225g) raisins chopped
4 eggs 8 oz (225g) sultanas or currants
8 oz (225g) mixed peel
4 oz (110g) cherries
2 level tsps mixed spice
2 oz (55g) almonds
Pinch salt



Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add slightly beaten eggs gradually, beating well after each addition. Fold in the sieved flour and salt with a metal spoon. Lastly add the fruit and flavouring and mix all well together. This is best mixed with the hands, as it is heavy with fruit. (Unless you have a Kenwood Chef – that beast could mix concrete!)

Bake in a 9 inch cake tin lined with greased grease-proof paper. Bake at 140C for about 3-31/2 hours.
(My oven cooks it in 2.5 hours so I’d test at that point.)



This cake is improved by the addition of a wine-glassful of brandy as it is a very rich cake, and improves by keeping. The best method of adding this is to make holes in the bottom of the cake the next day with a skewer and pour brandy into the holes.

When cooked in the fan oven, the top of large cakes remain lighter in colour. Test after the recommended cooking time by inserting a warm skewer into the centre of the cake. If clean the cake is cooked.

NOTES:

Needs 2 x 8 oz (225g) packets of marzipan to cover)