Sinful Christmas Cake By Somerfield

Total Time: 7 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 6 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 14
• 2 lbs dried mixed fruit
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 6 tablespoons whiskey
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 6 beaten eggs
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 grated lemon, juice and rind of
• 1 grated orange, juice and rind of
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 3/4 cup glace cherries
• 1/4 cup chopped mixed peel

Recipe

• 1 place the mixed fruits in a large bowl and stir in the brandy and whisky. mix well, cover and leave to marinate overnight. line and grease a 9 inch springform cake pan.
• 2 wrap newspaper around the outside of the pan and secure with string. place a newspaper on a baking sheet and place the tin on top. preheat the oven to 150°c, 300°f, gas mark 2.
• 3 sift the flour, salt and spices into a large bowl. beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
• 4 gradually beat in the eggs and molasses, adding a spoonful of the flour mixture to prevent curdling, until well combined.
• 5 stir in the remaining flour mixture.
• 6 stir in the lemon and orange juice, walnuts and almonds. rinse the glace cherries under cold running water and pat dry. halve and stir in the creamed mixture with the peel and mixed fruits.
• 7 spoon mixture into pan, cover with a few sheets of folded newspaper to stop burning. bake for 4 1/2 - 5 hours or until a skewer put into the middle comes out clean.
• 8 remove from oven and cool in pan. remove from pan, wrap in greaseproof paper. don't remove lining paper. wrap in foil and put in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. leave for 3 months.
• 9 once a month pierce base with a skewer then spoon over 4-6tbsp of brandy.
• 10 rewrap and leave until the next time.