Christmas Cake

With Thanksgiving just behind us it's time to start thinking about the Holiday Season. For generations the Grant women have made made their Christmas cakes at the beginning of December. That way they have three weeks to mature. I'd like to share our family recipe with you.

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, softened
8 oz light brown sugar
8 oz all purpose flour
1/8 teasp salt
1/2 teasp allspice
1/2 teasp cinnamon
1 teasp baking powder
6 eggs, lightly beaten
8 oz currants
8 oz sultanas
8 oz raisins
4 oz candied cherries
2 oz candied citron
4 oz blanched almonds, chopped
a little milk
4-5 tablesp brandy

Method

Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake tin with parchment, greased well. Cream fat and sugar until very pale. Sift flour, salt spices and baking powder. Toss the dried fruit in a little of the flour mixture. Add egg and flour mixture to creamed fat in several alternating batches, beating well between each addition. Stir in the prepared fruit and almonds, using a little milk if needed to give a soft dropping consistency.

Place mixture in cake tin; smooth top making a depression in the center. Bake in a warm oven (335 degrees F) for 1/2 hour, then reduce heat to 290 degrees for a further 3-3 1/2 hours. Allow the cake to firm up before removing from tin. When cold remove paper. Prick bottom of cake and sprinkle brandy over. Repeat this process several times, every few days.

Spread warmed, sieved apricot jam over top and sides of cake. Roll out a think layer of almond paste the size of the top, and another in a band for the sides. Press onto cake and mold edges together. Frost with royal icing or powdered sugar and water glaze. For a less sweet decoration simply sift powdered sugar over the marzipan covering. Decorate with Christmas ornaments.