Christmas Cake

14 oz. Butter
14 oz. Natural brown sugar
8 Eggs
Grated rind of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 tablespoon Treacle
1 lb. Flour
Salt 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
2-1/4 lb. Raisins
1 lb. Currants
6 oz. Dates, stoned and chopped
4 oz. Cooked prunes, stoned and chopped
8 oz. Almond flakes
5 tablespoons Sherry

Grease and line a 10-inch round cake tin with a double thickness of
greaseproof paper. Wrap a double layer thickness of brown paper around the
outside of the tin and secure with string. I usually make sure the paper
is twice as high as the depth of the cake pan.
Combine the raisins, currants, dates, prunes and almonds in a large bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs
one at a time. Stir in the lemon and or the black treacle. If the mixture
looks like it is starting to curdle stir in a little flour. Mix together
the flour, salt and spices. Fold the flour mixture and the fruit mixture
into the batter mixture a little at a time alternating between the flour
and fruit mixtures. Stir in the sherry and ensure everything is well
blended.
Put the mixture into the cake tin being careful not to create any air
holes and remembering to smooth the top surface before placing the cake in
the oven. Bake in the oven at 300F for 1 hour and then reduce the heat to
275F and cook for a further 4 hours. If the top starts to over brown, then
cover with greaseproof paper. When you remove the cake from the oven leave
it in the cake tin and allow to cool overnight - the cake can stay warm
for up to 24 hrs. When cool remove from the tin and wrap in a double layer
of aluminum foil until it is decorated.


Gail
Lindale, Texas

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