Classic Christmas cake
Recipes are often handed down from one generation to another and Christmas cake recipes are no different. You may have a family version that you’ve developed yourself but we’ve included a beautifully simple recipe anyway, producting a rich and succulent Christmas cake with very little effort.
INGREDIENTS
350g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
120g candied peel
120g glace cherries
900g mixed fruit
4 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons sherry
Finely grated zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon apricot jam
250g butter
250g granulated sugar
1 tablespoon black treacle
Extra brandy for maturing
METHOD
1) Preheat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Sieve together the flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl. Add the sherry to the lightly beaten eggs and mix. Cream together the butter, sugar and black treacle. When light and fluffy, add the apricot jam.
2) Slowly add flour and eggs to the butter mixture and mix continuously. When all of the egg mixture has been added, fold in the remaining flour and add the candied peel, glace cherries, grated lemon zest and mixed fruit.
3) Line an 8in-9in cake tin with baking parchment and carefully pour in the cake mixture. Bake in the oven for 31/2 hours until cooked through (test by inserting a skewer into the centre and carefully remove. When the skewer comes out clean the cake is cooked through).
4) Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 20 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Once cooled, make a few holes in the cake using a skewer and pour over four tablespoons of brandy and allow to soak in. Repeat this process several times a week until you're ready to add your layer of marzipan and icing.
For more great recipes visit www.lidl.co.uk