Shop Manager Julie always makes multiple Christmas Cakes each year for her friends and family. We thought we’d share her tried and tested recipe with you. A boozy fruit cake which involves a weeks worth of pre-soaking, but don’t worry, all that time and effort is definitely worth the wait! This is a Christmas fruit cake you’ll want to bake time and time again!
Method
Pre-Soaking:
One week before baking measure out all of the pre-soaking ingredients. Pour all into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to simmer over a low heat (so it does not boil) simmer for 15 minutes.
Allow to cool thoroughly before placing into a container. Leave in a cool place for 7 days, shaking or stirring from time to time.
Baking:
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 135°C. Measure out the flour, sugar, and softened butter into a large bowl. Add the eggs and whisk or beat until everything is blended (no creaming needed). Gradually fold in the fruit mixture until it’s evenly distributed.
Grease an 8-inch square cake tin with butter and line the base and sides with parchment paper. Have an extra piece ready with a 1” hole in the centre.
Bake for 3 hours (Remember, don’t open the oven!). Cover with the vented piece of paper and bake for another hour or until a cake tester tests done. Cool for 45-60 min in the tin, then remove.
Store only when thoroughly cooled.
Icing:
This is a rich cake so we would just recommend icing the top
Roll out the marzipan to an 8-inch square not too thin (3 to 4mm thick) as it needs to be a smooth surface for when you put the icing on, brush the jam onto the cake and lay the almond paste over the top leave to dry for 24 hours.
Roll the sugar paste into an 8-inch square and brush the surface of the almond paste with a little beaten egg white and lay the sugar paste over to give a smooth surface, again leave to dry for 24 hours then decorate the top of your cake as you choose.
